The Next Psychic Duellist
by shadowfire-phoenix
Summary: The Dark Signers have been defeated. Peace is returning to Neo Domino City. It's back to catching scoops for Carly Nagisa. Until she starts having nightmares... CarlyxJack
1. Chapter 1 - Dreams and Nightmares

A/N: The setting of this fic is just after the defeat of the Dark Signers (just prior to the end sequence of Episode 64). This is an alternate timeline version where all of the Signers were stuck in Satellite, instead of some of them being in the city. It makes also use of the Japanese character names, but Western card names.

I don't own 5D's or any of the characters, this is only a derivative work based on the series. No copyright infringement is intended. OCs used in this story are owned by me.

This is my first ever fanfic, so reviews are greatly appreciated :)

* * *

Chapter 1: Dreams and Nightmares

* * *

"_Be gone, Divine. Into eternal darkness!"_

_The titanic hummingbird struck the shell of the Arcadia building with explosive power. The man flew past her as the force of the blow knocked him through the wall of his office and over the internal balcony. His scream echoed through the building as he fell countless floors to the foyer below._

_She watched as the hummingbird aspect disappeared into the earth from whence it had come. At the same time, she was dimly aware of another scream, a woman's, echoing from the balcony, calling Divine's name._

_A surge of glee went through her at the irony of her revenge. Divine had fallen to his death, just as she had._

_As the duel concluded, a wave of dizziness struck her; it must have taken more of her energy than she had expected. She had to leave now._

_Outside Divine's office, she found a door with stairs leading to the roof. The dizziness was intensifying, so she climbed them quickly. She reached the top and staggered out onto the roof, as she felt herself beginning to black out…_

* * *

Carly Nagisa sat up in bed, gasping. _Not another nightmare_, she thought.

She drew her legs up and hugged herself as she tried to make sense of her dream. It had been the third in as many days. She didn't really understand them, but she could clearly recall each of them. At first it seemed like just stress – or perhaps that leftover pizza – but three nights in a row seemed pretty weird.

Carly got up and walked to the window of her room, pulling the curtains back a shade. It was the middle of the night outside, but the lights of Neo Domino City lit up the sky. And here, in her apartment in the heart of the city, she was never far from a scoop. Or so she wanted to believe.

She sighed as she closed the curtains and returned to bed. She still had no big scoop, and lately her boss at the paper seemed to be even more impatient than he usually was, so Carly was dreading work tomorrow.

On impulse she decided to check her fortune. Retrieving her Duel Monsters deck and glasses from beside her bed – thinking it was lucky she had a spare pair of glasses, as she'd broken her usual ones somehow – she selected a card.

And grimaced on seeing what she had drawn. Ordeal of a Traveller. Carly was sure this card hadn't been in her deck until a few days ago. And it wasn't the only new one; a lot of her cards were different, and she didn't know how they had gotten there.

_What are these Fortune Lady cards_, she thought as she went through them._ What's happened to my Fortune Fairies?_

It didn't add up, but then a lot of stuff wasn't adding up at the moment. Carly was positive that a few nights back, she could remember getting ready to infiltrate the headquarters of the Arcadia Movement. All that preparation, just so she could talk with that psychic girl, Aki Izayoi, about those guys with the glowing birthmarks; the Signers, they called themselves. And they definitely had something to do with that crimson dragon that appeared at the Fortune Cup tournament a few days earlier.

She'd been a little nervous at the prospect of investigating the psychics of Arcadia, but Carly had everything prepared – her notes, her disguise, even her inevitable excuse for Henshucho when she returned to work empty-handed. The problem was she couldn't remember actually going there; after leaving her apartment that evening, gear in hand, the next thing she could remember was waking up the next morning to a banging on her door. She couldn't find her glasses, but she'd managed to stumble her way to the entrance to her apartment. Carly had never expected it to be Jack Atlas at the door, not at that time of the morning, and she certainly hadn't expected the fierceness of his hug.

And they'd had the strangest talk that morning, before she'd left for work. Jack was telling her about an earthquake which had affected the city; apparently a small section of Neo Domino, and a lot of the island of Satellite off the coast, had been damaged in the quake, with the worst hit part of the city being the Arcadia headquarters. Carly couldn't remember anything about an earthquake – maybe she had slept through it – but Jack had been tight-lipped when it came to explaining any more about it.

She could tell that something about it was upsetting him; he had even left without saying goodbye, walking out her front door while she was looking for her camera. Carly wished she knew what was bothering him, but she knew that he was not the easiest man to get information out of, even for her.

She returned her attention to the card she had drawn. Ordeal of a Traveller meant that there were tough times ahead for her; but she had drawn the card upside down, which meant that there would be great rewards in the end. It was a strange draw, but Carly felt it was a somehow fitting one.

Returning her deck and glasses to the bedside table, she tried to get some sleep before next morning came, but all Carly could think of was her nightmare, and a certain tall blond-haired man who both captivated and confused her.


	2. Chapter 2 - A Woman's Determination

Chapter 2: A Woman's Determination

* * *

"Carly, do you mean to tell me that NOBODY remembers anything?!"

Carly flinched at the fury in her boss's voice before nodding her agreement. She couldn't believe it herself. Nobody she had questioned in the city had remembered anything about an earthquake. They mostly talked about how shocked they were at the damage to the Arcadia building, when they weren't talking about the building of the Daedalus Bridge to Satellite and how the people of Satellite would be free to come and go from Neo Domino City and how scandalous it was.

"Carly!" she heard Henshucho yell, drawing her attention back to the present.

"It's been three days, sir. I must have interviewed the entire city, but nobody seems to know what happened!"

Her dark-haired, heavyset boss returned to the head of the table as they discussed the front page for the next issue. Carly could tell he was livid that their potential huge scoop here had no apparent witnesses. His senior reporters had had no success with their attempts at interviewing Neo Domino's police force, the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, about the matter, and the rumours that Director Rex Godwin had gone missing did not help either. She could understand that her boss was upset, but it didn't mean he had to be quite so loud about it.

"Well, Carly, it appears you're our last hope here," Henshucho said, very quietly. He wore his ever-present scowl – Carly wasn't sure if she had seen any other expression out of him in the time she'd been at the paper – but the sudden change in the pitch of his voice sent a chill through her. "Nearly all the information we have on this situation has come from your source. We need you to bring us more information – everything you can get. If you can't bring us anything else…"

"Yes sir!" she replied cheerfully, trying to ignore his implied threat to fire her. How many times had he threatened that, now? Lately it seemed to be a daily occurrence. She was trying her best! If only she could convince him of that.

As she excused herself from the meeting, Carly thought she had an idea of the ordeal her fortune had illustrated for her last night. Her source, Jack Atlas, seemed to hold the answers to what had happened; and she was sure that his fellow Signers knew as well. But getting answers out of Jack was like getting blood out of a stone. She would have to track down the others first, talk to them and piece together some of the story, before tackling him. But who should she talk to first?

It would have to be Yusei Fudo, of course. Another one of the Signers. Carly had met him, and he had known Jack for a long time. And not only that, she knew where to find him, or at least she had an idea of where to look; he had been born in the city, but had spent most of his life in Satellite. While she admitted it was possible Yusei might not know any more than she herself did, he and Jack were connected; by their history, and now by the Signers' birthmarks.

It was then that she realised she had forgotten to check her fortune for the day. Retrieving her deck from her coat pocket, she drew the top card.

_Great_, she thought sarcastically, grimacing again. It was Fortune's Future this time. It meant a cloudy future ahead, where she might have to take a gamble. Not a positive sign, but at least it wasn't a bad one.

Outside Carly got into her car and started the engine. She would have to figure out a way to get to Satellite somehow – assuming Yusei was still there – but she had an idea of who she could talk to about that matter.

* * *

Ushio Tetsu, Security Chief of Neo Domino City, waited in his office.

Since the defeat of the Dark Signers life had been good to him; he'd had a promotion and received a new office to boot. The only downside was he couldn't get out of the office much now, and he missed the beat patrols he used to run. _Still_, he thought, _it's worth it to be closer to Mikage_.

However, Ushio was a little apprehensive about his next visitor. He recalled Carly Nagisa had been pursuing Jack Atlas for an interview after his loss in the Fortune Cup, just before the Dark Signers had arrived. He remembered she had been particularly tenacious in digging for stories; and, as Ushio seemed to be one of the few people in the city who could remember the events of the past few days, he was reluctant to say too much.

After all, who would really believe what had happened, if they knew? Even he had trouble accepting it, and he had seen everything.

The door opened as a member of Sector Security escorted Carly in. She looked no different; short orange jacket over blue and white striped t-shirt, blue pants and orange sneakers. _Definitely fit for sneaking_, Ushio thought.

"Carly, hello," he greeted, trying to keep focused. "What can I do for you?"

"Wow, nice office," she replied, looking around. "I'd heard you got a promotion. Enjoying it so far?"

She had a smug little smile on her face. Ushio knew she had a number of capable sources, but he hadn't expected the knowledge of his rise to go public quite so quickly.

"It's good," he answered with a shrug. "Pays better, but I miss the streets sometimes. Now, what can I do for you?"

Carly tensed.

"I need to get to Satellite," she said very quickly.

Ushio was lost for words. This was definitely not what he had expected.

* * *

Carly wondered if she'd made a huge mistake, as she wandered through the empty streets of Satellite. She knew she had to take risks to get the big scoops, but was this worth it? She recalled the conversation she'd had.

"_No? What you do mean, no?"_

_Ushio hesitated before answering._

"_I mean, no. The director has given clear orders that there is to be no further travel to Satellite without his personal authorisation."_

"_Director Godwin hasn't been seen since the 'earthquake'," Carly retorted. "If that's what happened, since conveniently no one remembers. You won't fool me with that excuse. So why won't you help me get to Satellite?"_

_Ushio looked flustered, but his thick black eyebrows drew together as his anger began to show._

"_Sector Security is under no obligations to assist the media in their enquiries. No is the only answer you're going to get, Carly. I won't commit any of our resources to helping a reporter dig up what should be left forgotten about."_

_She was sure she had a smile on her face, as Ushio realised what he had just said._

"_Uh… I mean…" he began._

"_AHA!" she said in a triumphant voice. "So there WAS something more to this! I knew it! Spill the beans! What is Sector Security hiding out in Satellite?"_

"_Now you listen here…" Ushio began._

"_Let me handle this, Ushio," said Mikage Sagiri as she entered his office._

_Ushio stopped, blushing, and mumbled his assent under his breath. Mikage turned to Carly._

"_Hello, Carly. So, why do you want to go to Satellite?"_

"_This story doesn't add up," Carly replied. "An earthquake which nobody in the city remembers happening? No, I bet that whatever this was has something to do with the Signers, and probably those Dark Signers too. But I don't know where the Signers are right now. I'm assuming Yusei Fudo is still in Satellite, so I want to head there and interview him."_

_Mikage watched her with sad eyes as she digested what Carly had said. Why did she look so sad?_

"_You should forget this whole thing, Carly," she said finally, running a hand through her short bluish hair. "Write your article stating an explosion and resulting fire caused the damage to the Arcadia building. The Public Security Maintenance Bureau will corroborate your story. But let the matter go at that. Please."_

_Carly was stunned. Sector Security was willing to back up her story? She considered the implications. That excuse might work for explaining the city damage, but it didn't address the damage to Satellite. And they hadn't said that Yusei wasn't there, which in her mind confirmed her suspicions. Carly understood they were trying to keep her away; the question was why._

"_It doesn't explain the damage to Satellite Jack told me about. And it still feels like another cover up. I'm sorry, but I must go. I must find out the truth."_

_Carly saw pity and fear in Mikage's eyes. She looked torn between deciding to let her go, or not to. Finally she sighed and turned to Ushio._

"_Prepare a helicopter."_

_Ushio nodded slowly, and left the office. Mikage turned back to Carly._

"_If you do this, Carly, you won't like what you discover. And I think the pain will not just be yours to bear."_

_With that, she left Carly alone in the office. Carly could feel her eyes were wide with confusion and fear. Was the pity in Mikage's eyes meant for her? What on earth was she talking about?_

* * *

They had got her on one of the regular night-time helicopter runs out to check the damage to Satellite. The pilot had instructions to drop her at a location a short distance from the home of someone called Martha; apparently Yusei and his gang were staying there.

As the chopper had flown in over the bay, Carly remembered the night she'd come here with Jack, in the same fashion. That was back when Yusei was duelling against his friend Kiryu in that horrible shadow duel and Jack had told her to stay out of his business with the Dark Signers. Even the chilly night air seemed the same.

She still wasn't used to wearing a duel disk. It was heavy on her arm. Ushio had given it to her, saying Satellite was dangerous at the best of times and that it might help her out of a tough spot. Carly thought Sector Security would have had access to better quality duel disks, but there was no time for worrying about that now. This neighbourhood was nothing like what she had expected; there were no people around, no regular street lighting, in fact no lighting at all. She'd had the spotlight the chopper was carrying when she arrived, but once it had gone all Carly had left to see by was the moon.

The light from the moon was enough to reveal the landscape of Satellite to her, though. Carly had shaken her head more than once at seeing the ruined buildings here, buildings badly neglected and abandoned even before the recent devastation had affected them. She recalled Jack and Mikage describing the Zero Reverse incident to her, how seventeen years ago the overload of the old Momentum reactor had set off the seismic event which split the old Domino City, now called Satellite, off from the mainland. Since then, it had been left to the elements, and criminals.

She'd never been great with directions, so it didn't take her long to get lost. It was hard to get her bearings here, compared to the city. Carly sighed and wondered again if she'd made a mistake coming here. She had neglected to ask Mikage about whether she would be able to get a lift back in the same way she arrived, and she'd thought about it more than once since the chopper had left. _Surely it should just be around here somewhere_, she thought.

Deciding to check her fortune, she pulled a card from her deck. It was Fortune Lady Fire; an uncertain future. She'd had too many cards like that lately. Carly tried to put it out of her head.

That was when she noticed the two men walking towards her.

One was short, the other tall. In the moonlight she could see the short one was thin faced, while the tall one had a yellow mark on his forehead – Carly recognised it as a criminal mark, meaning he had obviously he had spent time in prison. He was also missing a tooth. Both of them had lank, dirty looking hair and threadbare clothes, and they definitely did not look friendly.

She looked around for somewhere to hide while they passed, but it was too late; they had spotted her.

"Hey Girly! You're out late!" the short one called in a nasal voice.

Carly raised her duel disk defensively. The tall man crossed his arms, while the short one leered at her.

"What's in the bag?" he said, referring to the pack she was carrying.

"That's n-none of your business!" she stammered.

"Oh, but it is," replied the short man. "I like free things, especially when I get to take them from someone else. Tell you what. Theo and I are after a bit of fun tonight, and you have a duel disk. Let's have a duel. You win, we leave you alone. I win, I get your bag. Oh, and your duel disk and deck!" he added with a snigger.

Carly grit her teeth in frustration, but could see no other way out. She wasn't going to be able to hide from them easily here, when they probably knew the area better than she did.

"You're on!" she said, readying her duel disk.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Duel

Chapter 3: The Duel

* * *

Carly and the short man activated their duel disks, and the life counters set themselves to 4000 points each. The duel had begun.

* * *

**Carly LP: 4000.**

**Short Man LP: 4000.**

**(Duel Theme: Two Steps from Hell – Jump)**

* * *

"I'll go first," said the short man, drawing his starting hand. "How's this? Vorse Raider!"

**Vorse Raider – Atk 1900, Lv4.**

A sinister looking warrior appeared on the field, its curved axe gleaming. He then selected another card from his hand.

"That's not all. I'll add this. Axe of Despair! It adds one thousand attack points to my Vorse Raider!"

**Vorse Raider – Atk 1900 to 2900.**

A large, evil-looking half-moon axe replaced the curved one in the creature's hand. But the short man wasn't finished.

"And then this! Lucky Iron Axe! It adds another five hundred attack!"

**Vorse Raider – Atk 2900 to 3400.**

The evil-looking axe in the Vorse Raider's hand grew even bigger. And nastier. And he still wasn't done.

"And finally this! Sword of Dark Rites! It adds another four hundred attack!"

**Vorse Raider – Atk 3400 to 3800.**

A barbed sword appeared in the Vorse Raider's other hand. The short man laughed.

"Lucky for you I can't attack on the first turn. So I'll end turn now."

Carly was glad for that. At thirty eight hundred attack she was in serious trouble already. And she still wasn't very familiar with how effective her new deck would be in duels.

"My turn then. I draw!"

She examined her hand. She had three monsters; Card Ejector, White Magician Pikeru, and Fortune Lady Wind. None of them could stand up to the short man's Vorse Raider. Her two spell cards, Magicians Unite and Solidarity, could not help either. However, she had just drawn Ordeal of a Traveller, a trap card which might help. It was a gamble, but it was her best shot.

"Get a move on!" called the short man impatiently. Carly grimaced and made her move.

"I'll summon Fortune Lady Wind in defence position."

**Fortune Lady Wind – Def ?, Lv3.**

The green spellcaster materialised on the field, holding a staff bearing a glowing emerald.

"What's that? What's its strength?" asked the short man.

"Fortune Lady Wind's attack and defence points are determined by her level times three hundred," explained Carly. "She's level three, so her attack and defence are nine hundred."

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk ? to 900.**

"But that's not all," she continued. "She has a special ability too. She can destroy one of your spell cards, and I'm destroying Axe of Despair!"

The fortune lady lowered her staff and fired a bolt of green energy at the evil-looking axe, shattering it. The Vorse Raider's original curved axe appeared in its place.

**Vorse Raider – Atk 3800 to 2800.**

"I'll set a card and end my turn," Carly finished. The set card image appeared on the field in front of her.

"It's my turn then," replied the short man. "Draw! Now I'll summon Tiger Axe!"

**Tiger Axe – Atk 1300, Lv4.**

The heavily muscled humanoid tiger appeared on the field, with its own wicked looking battleaxe.

"Now for the fun part. Vorse Raider, attack her Fortune Lady!" cried the short man as the warrior leapt forward.

"Not quite! Activate continuous trap, Ordeal of a Traveller!" replied Carly.

The set card on the field transformed into the image of a giant sphinx, which blocked the Vorse Raider's path.

"Now you have to guess whether a particular card in my hand is a spell, trap or monster card," she continued. "If you guess wrong, your monster goes back to your hand!"

"Fine then," replied the short man. "I guess the first card from the right is a trap card!"

"Bzzz! Wrong!" laughed Carly, looking at the card he had selected. It was Solidarity, a spell card. "Your monster is gone, and so are the spells on it!"

The short man cried in anguish as his monster disappeared from the field, the card returning to his hand. He had lost his spells on the creature, as well. But he quickly recovered from the setback.

"That won't work a second time, girly. This time Tiger Axe will attack, and this time I'm guessing that same card I picked last time is a spell card!"

She grimaced as she looked at the card again; he was right. The sphinx image disappeared as Tiger Axe's attack continued, destroying her Fortune Lady Wind.

"Not laughing now, are we? I end my turn," said the short man.

"My turn then. I draw!"

She had drawn another monster, Ebon Magician Curran, but still none of her creatures were as powerful as his Tiger Axe; plus he still had that Vorse Raider in his hand. She would have to rely on luck for another turn.

"I summon White Magician Pikeru in attack position."

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

The small white-robed magician appeared on the field, holding a glowing staff.

"I'll then set a card, and end my turn."

She had set Solidarity on the field. She knew she could have played it to power up her magician, but Carly felt it wasn't time to use it yet. She was more interested in keeping the man guessing for Ordeal of a Traveller, at least for one more turn.

"First I draw! Now I'll bring back an old friend. Vorse Raider!"

**Vorse Raider – Atk 1900, Lv4.**

The creature returned to the field in all its hideousness.

"Vorse Raider! Attack White Magician Pikeru!"

"Wait up! I activate Ordeal of a Traveller!" cried Carly quickly.

"Bah," replied the short man, as the sphinx image appeared once again. "Alright then. First card from left, spell card."

The card he had picked was Magicians Unite, a spell card. Carly's heart sank as the sphinx image faded from the field. The Vorse Raider struck, cackling as her white magician was defeated. Carly's life points dropped by seven hundred.

**Carly LP: 4000 to 3300.**

"Now, Tiger Axe, attack her directly! And I haven't forgotten your trap. I pick the same card as before, spell card!"

The direct attack went through, costing Carly another thirteen hundred life points. She was down half already.

**Carly LP: 3300 to 2000.**

"That's all for now. I end my turn," sniggered the short man.

Carly cursed her luck. If she had used Solidarity before, she could have powered up her magician and it would still be alive. She wasn't going to win the duel with mistakes like that. _I need a miracle draw next turn or I'm going to be in some very serious trouble_, she thought.

She reminded herself of why she was here. She was chasing the biggest scoop of them all. Most importantly, she was chasing the truth. All she could do is trust in her fortune. Carly knew Jack would believe in himself, and that's what she needed to do as well; believe in herself.

"My turn. I draw."

Carly gave a whoop of delight on looking at what she had drawn. It was Swords of Revealing Light. If she was just fortune telling, she would say this card was showing her the way forward. Instead she knew that she was just about to turn this duel around.

"First off I summon Ebon Magician Curran in attack position. Then I activate Swords of Revealing Light!"

**Ebon Magician Curran – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

The short man looked on in disbelief as the black-clad magician appeared on the field, followed by swords of bright white light bursting into life around his monsters. He wasn't chuckling now.

"You can't attack me for three turns now. With that, I end my turn," said Carly triumphantly.

The short man drew.

"I summon Panther Warrior in attack position."

**Panther Warrior – Atk 2000, Lv4.**

The armoured feline warrior appeared on the field, holding a large curved sword.

"That ends my turn."

Carly could barely restrain her delight. She had survived another turn, and she had just drawn Mirror Force. And now, she could activate the effect of her magician.

"I activate Ebon Magician Curran's effect. For each monster on your side of the field, you take three hundred damage. Since you have three monsters, I make that nine hundred total!"

Ebon Magician Curran gathered a ball of dark energy in her hands and fired it at the man, striking him in the chest.

**Short Man LP: 4000 to 3100.**

Carly was ecstatic. She had finally damaged her opponent! And it was only going to get better with her next move.

"I summon Card Ejector in attack position."

**Card Ejector – Atk 400, Lv3.**

The tiny red-robed spellcaster appeared on the field, holding a small wand in one hand and trying to hold up its too-large purple wizard's hat with the other.

"Next I activate my spell card, Magicians Unite, which requires two spellcasters in attack position on my field," she continued. "I use it to raise my Ebon Magician Curran's attack points to three thousand for this turn! And I'm sending each of those attack points against that Tiger Axe of yours!"

**Ebon Magician Curran – Atk 1200 to 3000.**

Ebon Magician Curran, powered up by Card Ejector's wand, sent a ball of black energy at Tiger Axe, destroying it and damaging the short man's life points for seventeen hundred. Carly was ahead!

**Short Man LP: 3100 to 1400.**

"With that I set a card and end my turn," said Carly. With Magicians Unite's effect ending, Ebon Magician Curran's attack points went back to their original twelve hundred.

**Ebon Magician Curran – Atk 3000 to 1200.**

The short man drew.

"I activate Lucky Iron Axe. This raises my Panther Warrior's attack by five hundred."

**Panther Warrior – Atk 2000 to 2500.**

The axe appeared in the Panther Warrior's other hand. It snarled at Carly behind the glowing swords blocking its path.

"With that I end turn," he sighed.

"My turn then. I draw," replied Carly.

She had drawn Pot of Avarice. It wasn't much use to her at the moment, so she activated Ebon Magician Curran's effect again. Since he only had two monsters out now, he only took six hundred damage this time, but that left him with only eight hundred life points. _If only Jack could see me now_, she thought.

**Short Man LP: 1400 to 800.**

"I end my turn."

The short man was definitely not happy now.

"I draw! And pass. There's nothing I can do this turn."

"My turn then. I draw!" Carly replied.

She had drawn Future Visions, a field spell. She wasn't entirely sure how to use it effectively, so she decided to keep it for later. Her Swords of Revealing Light faded as their three turns were up.

Carly activated her magician's effect yet again, doing another six hundred damage.

**Short Man LP: 800 to 200.**

He was down to only two hundred life points. One more turn and she could win; but since Swords of Revealing Light had ended he was free to attack this turn, and if he summoned another monster to join the two he already had, he might well win himself.

Still, she had two facedown cards. They would have to be enough.

"I switch Ebon Magician Curran and Card Ejector into defence position and end my turn."

**Ebon Magician Curran – Def 0, Card Ejector – Def 400.**

"My turn. I draw! And I hope you like defeat," he added snidely. Looking at his draw, his face lit up with satisfaction.

"I summon Enraged Battle Ox in attack position!" he cried as he activated the card.

**Enraged Battle Ox – Atk 1700, Lv4.**

The enormous man-ox appeared on the field, clad in red armour and looking ready to assault whoever was nearby.

"Enraged Battle Ox's special ability allows any beasts, beast-warriors or winged beasts to inflict piercing damage on defence position monsters. That means all my beast-warriors can damage you regardless of your battle position!"

Carly's heart sank. Was she about to lose? The fate of the duel all rested on her face down cards. She hoped they would work.

"I attack Ebon Magician Curran with Enraged Battle Ox!"

That was what she had been waiting for. Carly activated one of her facedown cards.

"I activate Mirror Force! This card stops your attack and destroys all your monsters in attack position!"

The Enraged Battle Ox's attack struck a glowing barrier. The short man cried out in disbelief as the attack reflected back, destroying all his monsters. He ended his turn sullenly. Carly drew and switched Ebon Magician Curran into attack position.

"Wipe out his life points!" she cried. The magician obliged, sending another dark energy pulse into the short man. His life points hit zero.

**Short Man LP: 200 to 0.**

**Winner: Carly Nagisa.**

She couldn't believe it. She had won. She had tried her best and she had won. Jack would be so proud of her.

As the duel holograms disappeared, the short man was swearing angrily at losing. The tall man, who had been watching impassively so far, now had a similarly angry expression on his face. They began to advance on her.

"Hey now, I won! Fair and square!" Carly exclaimed, starting to back away. "You said you'd leave me alone!"

"You'll regret embarrassing me like that!" retorted the short man. "Give me that bag now!"

Carly turned and ran, but they were close behind. The tall man grabbed her arm, but she shook him off.

What a fool she was! Thinking they would just let her go.

Turning into a side street, she stumbled on the road surface, nearly losing her glasses, but she managed to retain her balance and keep going. She ran through the streets of Satellite, losing all track of time and direction. It was all she could do to keep ahead of the men behind her. She wished she knew the area better, before she got completely lost.

And then she ran into a dead end.

The men chuckled evilly at her as they followed her in, pulling knives out of their duel disks. How on earth had they concealed those?

Carly had a feeling these two were no longer after just her stuff. Her life was in danger now. And there wasn't anything she could do about it, not that she could see. She was trapped in this alleyway with no way out.

Her life flashed before her. She was never going to get that scoop. She would never make a name for herself as a reporter. She would never hear the truth.

Worst of all, she would never be able to see Jack again.

_Never see Jack again._

_Never again._

_Never._

_NEVER!_

_NO!_

Carly felt a sudden surge of incredible power inside her, felt her anguish and sadness burst forth in a mighty torrent, and everything went black.

* * *

A/N: For those wondering, yes, Carly forgot to use Solidarity :P


	4. Chapter 4 - Scars

Chapter 4: Scars

* * *

Crow Hogan wasn't keen on patrolling around this part of Satellite.

For one thing, it was too close to the B.A.D., the most lawless part of the island community. With the people of Satellite revived after they had all been sacrificed to the Dark Signers' Earthbound gods, they were quickly getting back to their old selves again.

Which meant that some of them were out causing trouble.

Gang conflict was a part of life in the Satellite, and Crow had seen his fair share; still, the gangs were preferable to those Dark Signers, that was for sure. Thinking of the gangs reminded Crow of his own days in a duelling gang, Team Satisfaction, and the time when they had fought other duel gangs for control of Satellite.

But he had serious business to think about now; he couldn't get caught up in that sort of nonsense again. People in Satellite relied on him now. His adopted kids and Martha needed all the help they could get while they tried to rebuild the damage caused by the Dark Signers. Sure, that fool Ushio had promised aid was coming, but Crow had dealt with him before and been let down by him and other members of Sector Security.

They couldn't rely on Ushio. They would have to trust in themselves, and their bonds. And with himself, Jack and Yusei back together now, the three of them could do just about anything.

Suddenly he heard a loud crack like the sound of a whip.

Crow clutched at the brake of his Blackbird D-Wheel, the motorcycle's wheels skidding on the road's surface as he pulled to a quick stop. What was that noise? That sounded like it came from close by. _I'd better check it out_, he thought.

He sped to where he thought he heard the sound, pulling into a dead end street, and was shocked by what he saw. A large crater occupied the street; the entire cul-de-sac was damp as if it had been soaked in water. Nearby lay two men. Crow moved to get a good look at them.

He recognised them straight away; it was Zippy and Theo, two of the B.A.D's biggest lowlifes. He had dealt with them before; they were arrogant and cunning, and had been locked up by Security numerous times for petty crimes, though it seemed Theo had himself a criminal mark now. They seemed to be injured – alive, judging by their groans, but injured. Crow felt a flash of amusement at seeing them suffering, but just what had happened to them?

He turned back to the crater in the road. It was deep, nearly half a metre so he guessed, and full of water. Where had the water come from? The sky had been clear all night, so it couldn't have been rain. And there were no water sources nearby that he knew of.

Then he saw there was someone lying in the crater. His heart leapt; surely no one could have survived that, whatever had created that hole.

Crow leapt into the crater to pull the person out. It was a girl, maybe about his age, with long black hair now soaking from the water. She seemed to be alive, but unconscious. She had a Security-issue duel disk on her left arm and a green bag still hanging from her opposite shoulder. Slightly askew on her face was a pair of thick trifocal glasses. He didn't recognise her, which was odd; he knew most of the people around Satellite, or thought he did.

Crow shook her gently to try and wake her, but she did not stir. He considered she might be injured after whatever had happened here. Maybe he should get her to Martha just in case.

As he went to take her back to his D-wheel, Crow saw something else on the ground. He retrieved it; it was a Duel Monsters card, Torrential Tribute. _It had probably fallen out of her deck_, he thought.

With the girl lying across the back of his D-wheel, Crow sped towards Martha's. Hopefully she would know what to do.

* * *

Yusei Fudo shared a smile with Jack as Martha went back into the house.

She was right, it was getting pretty late. He'd lost track of time; his D-wheel had taken more of a battering in the riding duels he'd had with Kiryu and Rex Godwin than he had first thought. But he was nearly done; he could finish that tomorrow.

He was glad for Jack's help. They had patched up a lot of their past issues over the last few days as they had been repairing their D-wheels. Still, Yusei had noticed a change in him since the battle with the Dark Signers; he was more withdrawn and thoughtful, and grumpier than ever. Yusei suspected that the battle had left him emotionally scarred. They all bore scars from that battle, in some respect. Jack had always deflected the question of what happened to him whenever he was asked about it, so Yusei and the others had eventually stopped asking; but Yusei still wondered what could have affected Jack so much.

They had begun to put away their tools when they noticed a D-wheel approaching. It was Crow's Blackbird; he was back early. Crow pulled up outside the house, looking grim. That's when Yusei noticed he had a passenger.

"Crow, what's wrong?" he began.

"I found this girl out on the streets, Yusei," replied Crow, removing his helmet. "We need to get her inside; I think she's injured."

Yusei hurried over to help Crow with the girl. She was unconscious; wet too, as if she had fallen into the harbour. That's when he recognised her; she was that reporter, who had been there when he had first fought the Dark Signers' servants, back in the city. What was she doing here?

"Jack, are you ok?" asked Crow, looking over Yusei's shoulder. Yusei turned; Jack was staring at the girl in complete shock, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Jack, what is it?" Yusei asked. Jack did not reply.

* * *

Yusei and Crow bought the girl into the house as Martha hurried over.

"What's happened here?" the woman demanded.

"I found her out near the B.A.D," replied Crow. "She's been out cold since I found her."

"Well, bring her into the next room and we'll make her comfortable," said Martha, looking concerned.

They moved the girl into one of the bedrooms. Yusei and Crow lowered her on the bed as Martha fussed with the bedcovers.

"She's damp all over. Had she fallen into the bay or something?" asked Martha. "At least she'll be warm enough where she is, now. Let's talk about this in the other room so she can rest."

Martha herded them out of the room, closing the door behind her. While the woman rung for a doctor, Crow explained to Yusei how he had found the girl in a crater in the road, with Zippy and Theo injured nearby. By the time he had finished his tale, Yusei's grim face was a match for his foster brother's. Satellite was a dangerous place to be alone, especially for a girl from the city. What was she doing here?

Jack's expression had not changed; he still looked as stunned as when he had first seen the girl. He abruptly got up off his chair and walked out of the house. When Yusei heard the rev of an engine and screech of a wheel outside, he ran to the door.

"Jack? Jack, wait!"

But it was too late. Jack and his D-wheel had sped off into the night.

* * *

Martha and the others waited as Doctor Schmitt came out of the bedroom where the girl was resting. As they had waited, Aki Izayoi had emerged from her own room, wanting to know what was happening.

"She's sustained some minor injuries," the doctor reported, closing the door behind him. "She'll have a few bruises but there's no serious or lasting damage. What I _can't_ explain is her lack of consciousness."

"Do you mean she's in a coma?" asked Martha.

"Yes. I don't know what has bought it on, or when she will wake up. Or even IF she will wake up."

"That's dreadful," said Aki.

"The best I can recommend is keep an eye on her and let me know if her situation changes," the doctor continued. "Until then, I don't know what else I can do."

"Thank you, doctor," said Martha. "And thank you for coming out at this time of night."

Doctor Schmitt bade them farewell and left.

"So now what?" asked Crow.

"You heard him," replied Martha sternly. "We watch her."

"We should go out and look for Jack," said Yusei. "Something's really bothering him."

"Yeah, I'm worried too," agreed Crow.

"All right," conceded Martha. "But be careful!"

Yusei and Crow nodded their assent before heading out into the night.

Martha sighed. _Boys will always be boys_, she thought.

"Miss Martha, is everything ok?" said Rua, poking his head around the door from the room the twins were sleeping in.

"Yes, little one. You go back to sleep," replied Martha, eyeing the door to the room where the girl lay.

She shared a worried look with Aki. What had happened to that girl?

* * *

_She had killed a man._

_It didn't matter that he had deserved it, after what he had done. She had _killed_ him. How could she ever believe she would be capable of killing somebody?_

_She still couldn't believe this was happening. Was this how far she was willing to go for him? All she wanted was to be with Jack again. She would have done anything for him, but she never imagined she would be willing to go this far._

_All the satisfaction she had gained from her revenge on Divine was gone, now. All that was left within her was dread. Somehow, she had become a Dark Signer. Jack was going to fight the Dark Signers. Would he fight her, too? What was to become of her?_

"_We're here, Carly," said Misty, giving her a good shake. "Come on, Rudger wants to meet with you."_

_She walked with Misty, too caught up in her own thoughts to pay attention to where she was._

_Jack, please… please help me._

"_And now we are all here!" she heard a man exclaim. "The time of our victory is at hand! Wait… what's the problem?"_

_She registered her surroundings. They were in a dark room, lit only by the light of five candles. Four chairs surrounded a long table, two of them occupied with black-robed men, with another chair at its head. Sitting in it was a blond-haired man, also in black robes, this time edged with red. It must be Rudger, the man who had spoken. She recognised another of the other men, his robes edged in blue. It was Kiryu, Jack's friend. Former friend, now a Dark Signer._

_Like her._

"_She is still recovering from the shock of her transformation," supplied Misty. "Give it time. I'm sure she will come around."_

"_Give it time! We have no time for this nonsense!" said Rudger as he threw up his hands. "The Signers will be here before long. If she is not ready by then, Atlas will destroy her and our plans will for naught."_

_Atlas? Jack?_

"_I-I have to fight Jack?" she whispered._

"_Yes, you do," said Rudger, a wicked grin on his face. "That is the reason you are here. That is why the masters have bought you back. You are to kill Jack Atlas!"_

_No. No, she wouldn't!_

_She ran out of the room, screaming. She could hear Misty calling her name, telling her to wait, that everything would be okay._

_But it wouldn't be okay. She wouldn't fight Jack. She wouldn't!_

_She found what seemed like an old bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, she sat down on the bed. She felt like crying, but no tears came. Could Dark Signers cry?_

"_Why was I selected as a Dark Signer? What am I supposed to do?"_

"_Carly!"_

_What was that deep voice? She looked up, but there was nobody else in the room._

"_If that is what you wish to know, then tell your fortune!" it said._

"_Tell my fortune?" she asked._

"_Yes, tell your fortune by the fate allotted to you!"_

_It couldn't hurt to have a look. Her cards had always bought her comfort, even if sometimes they didn't give her the best readings._

_She wondered which card to pick, as she fanned them out in front of her. One of them seemed to glow with a bright light, so she picked it. It was Enlightenment. The card glowed brighter until the glow filled her vision._

_As the glow faded, she saw she was back in Neo Domino City. It was a brilliant sunny day. She was on the hunt for the latest scoop. Her boss had been so nice, never threatening to fire her. And there was Jack to pick her up and take her to the mall. They spent all their time together. It was… perfection._

_She thought for a second that it seemed too perfect to be real, but her doubt faded as quickly as it had appeared. There was no such thing as too perfect. She continued to bask in the vision she had been given. This _was_ real. She was sure of it._

"_This is your future, Carly. This is your future with Jack. This is your task, now. You must bring Jack enlightenment!" the voice said._

Enlightenment_, she thought. This is our future together! I must help him understand that._

_Putting away her cards, she got up and walked to the open window. The air was tense; lightning crackled and thunder boomed as a storm began to break overhead. The Signers would be on their way soon. _Jack_ would be his way soon. And she would show him what she had seen._

_As she left the bedroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in a wall mirror just by the bed. Black sclera surrounded her now blue eyes. Smiling at the sight, she returned to the meeting room and sat down._

"_I'll need a D-wheel," was all she said._

"_Already built," Kiryu replied with a grin._

_She smiled and sat back to wait, knowing that soon Jack Atlas would be hers. Forever…_

* * *

Carly awoke, feeling dizzy and cold.

She struggled to understand her latest dream. It was definitely Misty she had seen, and she had been addressed as Carly; only she had been wearing the robes of a Dark Signer, and Misty had been wearing similar robes. She recognised Kiryu as well; she remembered watching his duel with Yusei, as the war with the Dark Signers had begun in earnest.

From the perspective of the dream, it was almost as if _she_ had been a Dark Signer herself. She shuddered at the idea of working with those Jack and the other Signers were supposed to fight. It sounded crazy. She would never work with people like them. Why she would dream about something like that?

The dream also suggested to her that she had killed Divine, apparently, which was an event she recalled from one of her previous dreams. Were they connected, then, in some way? Was she going to have more of these dreams? Wasn't Divine the leader of the Arcadia Movement? Why would she want to kill him?

Too many questions. Maybe it was best to forget about them and hope they would go away eventually. She was just going round in circles, so far, trying to figure them out.

Looking around her, Carly found she was in a bed in a small room. To her relief, her glasses lay on a small table beside the bed. The curtains were closed, but she could see daylight shining around the edges.

She sat up. Where was she? And how long had she been here?

The door opened quietly and a woman walked into the room. Carly quickly put her glasses on so she could see the woman better. She was slightly older than her middle years, with long black hair and sharp eyes. Those eyes were observing her very seriously.

"Good, you're awake!" she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy. And cold," replied Carly. "Where am I?"

"This is my house," said the woman. "My name is Martha. Here I look after the orphans and homeless children of Satellite. What about you? What is your name?"

"I'm Carly," she replied. "What happened to me? How did I end up here?"

"One of my boys found you on the street and bought you in. You seem ok physically, but you were out of it for a while."

Out of it? Had she been unconscious?

Then she remembered what had happened. She had gone to Satellite on the Security helicopter, and ran into those two men. She'd duelled them and then they had chased her through the streets. Then they had trapped her in that alleyway with no way out. She suddenly felt very dizzy and fell back on the pillow.

"Don't worry, Carly, you are safe here," said Martha reassuringly.

Carly felt herself relax. She believed this woman. She was safe here.

Then she realised. This was Martha! She had made it to Martha's house. Now she could talk to Yusei.

"Thank you for helping me, Martha," she said. "Is Yusei Fudo staying here?"

"Yusei?" replied Martha. "Yes, he is. Do you know him?"

"Not well, we've only met once. I'm a reporter from the city. I'm trying to write an article about the recent strange events affecting the city and Satellite."

"You must be dedicated, or desperate," said Martha, eyeing her suspiciously. "It can't have been easy to get here."

"I'm sure that the events have something to do with the Signers, and that crimson dragon that appeared at the Fortune Cup," Carly continued. "I don't have any memory of an earthquake or other disaster which would have caused all the damage, and I haven't met anyone in the city who remembers either."

Carly clenched her fists at her sides as she remembered the strange appearance of that enormous red dragon. What was it? And what link did it have with the Signers?

"The only one I've talked to who seemed to have any knowledge of what happened was Jack, but I have a feeling that means the other Signers know as well. I have to find out the truth, find out what really happened a few days ago, and I can't find any of that out in the city. That's why I want to talk to Yusei and find out what he knows."

"Well I'm sure when Yusei gets back he would be willing to talk to you about it," said Martha, giving her a sympathetic look.

"He's not here?" asked Carly.

"No. He and Crow are out looking for Jack. Those boys, going out in the middle of the night like that…"

Carly's heart leapt. Jack was here in Satellite! But was he missing? What had happened?

"Uhhhh…" she exclaimed as the dizziness returned.

"I think that's enough for now," said Martha, smiling. "I'm sure your article can wait until you are feeling better."

Carly nodded before lying back on the pillow. She was asleep the next moment.

* * *

Jack Atlas looked out over his kingdom as the sun began to rise.

He remembered when he used to come here, before he'd gone to the city. The old theatre had a throne on the stage from a play long past. When he was younger, he used to sit there, pretending to be a king; only he'd been king of a lonely kingdom, a ruined kingdom. The theatre had taken some damage during the Dark Signer conflict, but it was mostly intact. Since coming back to Satellite, he liked to come here on occasion and remember simpler times.

He'd tried to move on, since the day he'd visited her. She had no memory of what had happened to her, and it still tore him up; after he had worked so hard to make her sacrifice seem worth something, it was as if it had never happened. He couldn't bear to be around her anymore, knowing that.

So he'd left her behind in the city, and moved back to Satellite to live with his old friends, thinking she would be better off without him. She could live out her life and he could live out his, and he could move on in peace.

His new life had lasted three days. Then she had turned up on Martha's doorstep, obviously injured somehow.

Jack couldn't bear seeing what had happened to her. Seeing her in that state had reopened old wounds he thought were starting to heal. With a cry of anguish he slammed his fist down on the arm of the throne. _Carly_, he thought, _why do_ _you have to do this to me? Why can't you just let me be?_

"There you are!"

Jack jumped and turned to the sound of the voice. His heart sank at the sight of a young redheaded boy walking into the theatre. After Carly, Rally Dawson was the person he wanted to avoid the most. Two years ago, he had thrown him into the bay and taken Yusei's D-wheel and Stardust Dragon card just so he could become the King of Neo Domino. A puppet king, a king dancing to the strings of Rex Godwin. He had nearly killed the boy, all for nothing.

"Hello, Rally," he said.

"We've been looking for you," said Rally. "Yusei said you'd gone off somewhere and didn't tell anyone. We've been looking everywhere for you. What's got into you?"

"It's… complicated," Jack replied. "But I didn't mean to make you worry. I'm pretty sure Yusei would have figured out where I was sooner or later."

"This was always one of your favourite hangout spots," said Rally, grinning as he sat on the stage steps. "I'm surprised Yusei hasn't checked here yet!"

They were silent for a time.

"Do you believe in ghosts, Rally?" asked Jack quietly.

"Ghosts?" he replied, puzzled.

"Some people believe that the spirits of the dead linger on in this life," Jack continued. "They are tied to their loved ones by such strong bonds that even death itself cannot break them."

"Uh, do you mean like what Yusei says about the bonds of friendship?"

"No, this is deeper. This is a spiritual and emotional connection with another, to the point where one who has died cannot accept life without the other. They become a ghost, destined to haunt their loved one until both of them can move on together."

Rally didn't say anything, but he looked at Jack as if he were acting odd. In a way he was; his outlook on life had changed a lot over the last few days. He almost burst out laughing at how ridiculous he must sound, now, compared to how he used to be.

"Do you believe in them, Jack?" asked Rally.

"I don't know. Before, I would have said no; but… a lot has happened."

"Will you be all right, Jack? You know you can talk to us about anything that's bothering you."

"I know, Rally. But some things are still too painful to talk about."

Jack shifted on his throne.

"You had better let Yusei know where I am. I'll see you guys again sometime. But first, I think I have to deal with a ghost."

Rally started to leave, before speaking over his shoulder.

"Don't forget us, Jack. You don't have to go through this alone, whatever it is."

And then Rally was gone.

Jack sat in silence as the sun rose.


	5. Chapter 5 - Revelation

Chapter 5: Revelation

* * *

_Her life flashed before her eyes as she fell from the skyscraper._

_JACK!_

_As she cried his name she crashed through the roof of the building below, striking the concrete floor inside with tremendous force. Her cards fluttered down on the breeze after her, landing on her limp form._

_There was a dull pain all over, and she could feel herself slipping away into a void. Was this death? Was she about to die?_

_No. She couldn't die. She had to be with Jack. She needed him. She couldn't let go of him._

_The void engulfed her, leaving her floating in cold nothing. She thought she could hear faint mocking laughter at the edge of her hearing._

_It made her feel angry. This was all Divine's fault. All she wanted was to be with Jack again, and Divine had taken that chance from her. She couldn't let him get away with it!_

"_That's right, Carly," uttered a deep voice in her ear. "You can't let him get away with it. You must make him pay for what he did."_

_She looked around as the voice echoed through the void, but she could see nothing._

"_Who—" she began._

"_You cannot do this alone," said the voice. "But I can help you, if you will let me. I can help you to stop him and to be with Jack again."_

_A chance to get back at Divine? And to be with Jack again? The voice could give her that chance?_

_As if her thoughts were unspoken agreement, she suddenly felt strength flowing into her._

"_It is your destiny for you and Jack to be together, Carly. Accept my gift."_

_The flow of power filled her to bursting. It carried an unnatural, almost alien chill, but she felt stronger than she'd ever felt in her life._

_The void disappeared and she awoke, still lying in the crater she had formed from her landing._

_She blinked as she considered what had happened. Had that voice given her this power? Was this fate? Was this her second chance?_

_Great feelings of rage surged within her. Divine. He must pay. He will pay._

_The earth began to shake around her as she got up from the crater and gathered her cards. They gave off small wisps of purplish energy, and they seemed different now. Fortune Ladies. It seemed fitting; this must be her true fate, her second chance, after all._

_The sky around her crackled with electricity. She felt the fiery geoglyph emerge around the Arcadia building, the flames dancing in time with the energy surging through her veins._

Revenge will be mine_, she thought, as she began to return to the top of the building. She would make him pay. She was destined to be with Jack, and she would offer Divine's soul as her first sacrifice towards that fate._

_And then, she would make Jack hers._

* * *

Carly awoke. It was dark outside, now.

What was going on? Were these dreams real? They were certainly terrifying. And they all seemed to be linked to Divine, somehow, all featured her killing Divine or planning to do so.

But what made this latest dream even more frightening than the others was that it made her question who she truly was. Carly knew she cared greatly for Jack and would go to incredible lengths for him; but would she truly do anything to be with him? If Jack was taken away from her, would she kill to get him back? And would she come back from the dead for him, if she had to?

She was growing tired of these nightmares. She was no Dark Signer. She was no murderer. She hadn't died and she certainly hadn't come back from the dead. It wasn't possible.

Carly sat up. She was still in the bed in Martha's house. A tray lay on the table beside the bed, next to her glasses, upon which laid some food. It was plain fare, a plate of steamed rice and a bowl of miso soup, but it looked wholesome. Beside it was a glass of milk.

It was then that Carly's stomach complained loudly, and she realised she was famished; it was probably near a whole day since she had eaten last.

The food was cold now. It must have been there a while; Martha must have put it there while she was asleep. Still, she set to eating and found it delicious. The soup had an unusual spice to it which gave it a dash of heat, enough to be enjoyable without being too hot.

Carly put the now empty plate and bowl aside and finished off the glass of milk. _How long have I been here now_, she thought. _Have I been here all day_?

She felt refreshed and she felt like talking to somebody. She could see light under the bedroom door, so somebody was up.

Carly got up and headed for the door, picking up her glasses. It opened into a cosy dining room. Sitting around a long table talking quietly were Martha and a few others she didn't immediately recognise. Martha turned towards her.

"She's finally up and about," she said, grinning. "How are you feeling? Did you eat?"

"Yes, thank you. It was delicious," Carly replied. She blinked a little as her eyes adjusted to the light. "I feel a little sore and unsteady, but otherwise I think I'm ok."

"It's good to see you awake," one of the others said, a man with black hair, sharp blue eyes, and a yellow criminal mark running down his left cheek. Carly recognised him now; it was Yusei Fudo! With him was a red-haired boy covered in criminal marks she didn't recognise, and a maroon-haired girl that she did; Aki Izayoi was here also!

"How long was I out?" asked Carly.

"All up, it was a day or so," replied Yusei. "Crow here bought you in last night. He said he found you lying unconscious in the street, not too far from here."

"That's right," the red-haired boy said. _He must be Crow_, Carly thought.

"It looked like you had a run in with Zippy and Theo," he continued. "Those two aren't the nicest of people."

Carly shuddered as she recalled that night. The duel, and those men chasing her. Being trapped in that alleyway. It was enough to make her feel a little dizzy again.

"Do you know what happened?" she asked. "The last I remember was being stuck in that alleyway with those two, before waking up here."

"No. We were kind of hoping you might be able to tell us," replied Crow.

"Relax, Crow," said Aki. "She might be able to remember, in time."

"Of course, of course," said Crow, holding up his hands. "Not trying to get pushy. I'm just curious as to how that crater got there."

"What crater?" asked Carly, baffled.

"I found you at the bottom of a crater in the alleyway. It was nearly half a metre deep and full of water. I couldn't explain it."

Carly was very confused. What was he talking about?

"That's enough I think," put in Martha. "She is still recovering. Questions can wait."

"No, it's ok, thank you," said Carly. "Actually I was hoping to ask Mr Fudo a few questions. And Ms Izayoi too, if it's ok."

"A reporter to the very end," said Martha, shaking her head, but she was smiling.

"A few questions?" asked Yusei slowly. "I might be able to give you some answers, if you might answer a question or two of mine first."

"Of course," replied Carly.

"Ok, good. First off, I've met you before; you were there when I fought that first Dark Signer, right? Grady, I think you said his name was?"

"T-that's right," replied Carly hesitantly. Yusei had a good memory.

"Ok. My second question is, why did you come to Satellite? You're from the city, so getting here must have been a challenge. Why are you here?"

"Well it's about the disaster which affected the city a few days ago," she replied. "Nobody I've talked to has any recollection of what happened, and I want to find out why. I have a hunch that it has something to do with the Signers, and my hunches are usually good. I saw the duels you had against the Dark Signers, Yusei. They had something to do with it, I just know it.

"So I came here to get answers. Out of all the Signers, the only one I had any idea of where to find was you. Where the others were, I didn't know. All I knew was that you had lived in Satellite for most of your life, so I came here."

"I see," said Yusei calmly. "That makes sense I suppose, though it was a risky decision. How did you get here though? They only started construction on the Daedalus Bridge just recently."

Carly didn't answer, as something had just occurred to her.

"Ah, where is Jack?" she asked. "Martha said that you had gone out looking for him. Did you find him?"

"Yes," Yusei replied, frowning. "A friend of ours had found him in an old hiding spot of his. He's not in any danger, but he's been getting more like this every day."

"More like what?" asked Carly.

"Jack's always been testy," supplied Crow. "But the last few days he's been worse than ever. He'd disappear for hours at a time, sometimes. He'd always looked preoccupied by something, even when he was helping us at the house here."

"Something's changed in him," finished Yusei. "And he doesn't want to talk about it."

Carly's heart sank. What had happened to Jack?

"Please continue, if you don't mind," prompted Yusei. "How did you get to Satellite?"

"I had managed to convince Ushio and Mikage at Sector Security – I had dealt with them before, so they know me – to let me hitch a ride on a helicopter."

Carly told her story of how they had been reluctant for her to go, how they had given her a duel disk and how she had been dropped off by the pilot.

"That fool Ushio!" said Martha with disgust, when Carly had finished. "Sending a lone girl into the slums of Satellite at night with nothing but a duel disk! You're lucky you weren't killed!"

Carly couldn't hide her frown. It certainly hadn't been her smartest move, now that she thought about it. _I was too focused on getting the story_, she thought ruefully. When would she start thinking with her head for once?

"Well you're here now, I guess," said Yusei. "So I'm willing to tell you about what happened. What is the last thing you remember?"

Carly tried to remember the last time she had seen him.

"Probably the riding duel you had against Kiryu—"

"Wait, you were there for that?" asked Yusei, very surprised.

"Yes. I was in the helicopter, with Jack."

"Hmm, ok. So that's the last you remember?"

"Actually, not quite," replied Carly. "The very last thing I remember is getting ready to infiltrate the Arcadia Movement—"

"What?" asked Aki, shocked. "Why would you be thinking of doing that?"

"Actually, to talk to you, Ms Izayoi," said Carly. "I wanted to find out more about the Signers, and at the time you were only one I knew where to find."

"I see," replied Aki in a quiet voice. "That was a dangerous course of action. You could have been injured, or worse. Some of us… took our privacy very seriously."

"I didn't end up going, in the end," continued Carly. "At least I don't remember going. I only remember waking up the next morning. Jack was there, briefly, and then he left again. That's all I remember."

"How long ago did this happen?" asked Yusei.

Carly worked it out in her head.

"About four days ago?"

Yusei and Crow shared a look with Aki and Martha. Carly could tell something about that timeframe had got them worried.

"You don't think…" began Crow.

"It fits," supplied Aki.

"What fits?" asked Carly, looking from face to face.

Yusei shared another look with the others before turning to her, taking a breath.

"You're familiar with the fiery barrier the Dark Signers used in their duels, right?" he began. "Well it wasn't just Satellite that was affected…"

* * *

As Yusei told the story of the fight against the Dark Signers that fateful night, he observed Carly's reactions with surprise. She didn't react as he expected she would.

She claimed to have no memory of anything that happened between Yusei's first duel with Kiryu and Jack's visit to her days later, but some aspects of those few days she understood or accepted too easily for Yusei's liking. An ordinary person might look at what happened and say it was impossible; that there was no such thing as Earthbound gods, or that the black fog which the Dark Signers had conjured up and had swallowed up the people of Satellite had just been fog off the bay.

But Carly seemed to accept it all without hesitation. She didn't react at the black fog. She seemed to know about the old reactor in the heart of the B.A.D, where the majority of the fighting took place, even though she claimed to have no knowledge of Satellite. And she accepted at face value the terrible Shadow Duels they had endured with Rudger Godwin and the Dark Signers and the Earthbound gods they worked for.

If anything, she seemed to be more alarmed than shocked. Yusei was sure that she knew more than she was letting on. _She somehow knows things I wouldn't expect her to_, he thought. _There must be more to her than she's revealing_.

"Are you ok, Mr Fudo?" asked Carly.

"Yes," he replied, bringing his attention back to the present. "And Yusei is fine. I was just thinking about that night. It was hard for all of us."

"I can imagine," said Carly. "It's quite a story. Shadow riding duels. Earthbound gods, reviving after five thousand years. The King of the Underworld emerging from the reactor. Rex Godwin, one of the Dark Signers – that explains why he's been listed missing in the city now, at least – and briefly a Signer himself. A man of Satellite, becoming head of Sector Security! That's quite the scoop.

"And the fight against Misty and the revelation about her brother's murder, by Divine no less. Poor Misty! She always seemed like such a nice person. It's an extraordinary story, all right. I can see why it's one you wouldn't want to spread around."

"How do you mean, not spread it around?" asked Yusei, puzzled. "Sure, it's a story that's hard to believe, but we've never tried to hide it from anyone."

Carly looked surprised at his question.

"Jack had told me an earthquake was responsible for all the damage," she said cautiously. "I see now he wasn't telling me the truth, and I figured it was because you wanted to keep the story under wraps. But if you weren't trying to hide it…"

Carly looked despondent. "So why did Jack want to hide it from me? He promised me he would tell me everything, after they were defeated. Why would he lie to me?"

Yusei knew he and the others couldn't answer that question for her. Jack hadn't been very forthcoming about what had happened after the battle. He had left with Ushio and Mikage to head to the city, but he had returned that same day and hadn't breathed a word about what he'd been doing. Had he been visiting this woman? What relationship did she have with Jack?

_Jack, what has happened to you_, he thought. _Why won't you tell us anything?_

"It's getting late," said Martha. "Probably best if we all get a good night's sleep, I think."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Crow.

* * *

Carly lay in the bed, too concerned to sleep, thinking about all she had heard. _It matches the dreams almost perfectly_, she thought.

The Arcadia building had been badly damaged when the Dark Signers had attacked the city. And Misty had been one of them. Misty, who she had talked to about the Arcadia Movement, who had seemed so normal, even if she had wanted revenge for her brother.

At least Carly had not killed Divine; Misty had done that, once she had heard that he was responsible for Toby's death. And, of course, he wasn't technically dead; once the Dark Signers had been defeated, he had been revived, only to be hauled off by Security after the revelations of his activities as leader of the Arcadia movement. So the dreams were wrong on that count.

And what had got into Jack? He had gone to the trouble of visiting her from Satellite right after their victory. Why did he not tell her what had really happened? Or tell his friends where he'd been when he returned to Satellite? What had happened to him?

But the biggest question of all, Carly knew, was that everything that had happened that night would be hard for anyone to miss, even in the city. So why couldn't she remember any of it?

Carly eventually managed to get to sleep, hoping that the nightmares would be over at last; but she was unaware that the worst nightmare was yet to come.


	6. Chapter 6 - Painful Memories

A/N: I wasn't completely happy with how this chapter turned out. I've been trying to avoid directly quoting from episodes where possible and only exploit the off-camera gaps in the story, but I needed more of episode 59 than I expected as the background for this chapter. Still, I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter 6: Painful Memories

* * *

_He was holding out a pair of glasses. They were her glasses, somehow. But she had never worn glasses. Had she?_

"_You must remember!" cried Jack. There was that voice again, in the back of her mind, echoing what Jack had said, telling her that this future was wrong._

_No, it can't be wrong. This was our fate, to rule the world, just the two of us. That is my desire. That is our fate._

"_You're wrong!" Jack insisted. The voice told her that, too. It was stronger now, more intrusive on her thoughts. She tried to shut it out of her mind._

_She suddenly recalled a conversation she'd had with Jack. 'Now it's time for the real Jack Atlas to live', she had said to him. It seemed like a conversation from another life._

_But that's exactly what it was; a conversation from another life, a life she'd lived before she realised the truth. It wasn't relevant now. She had seen their fate, and nothing mattered except that. Right now, she could inflict the damage to end this duel. He had left the choice up to her; he had surrendered to their fate after all. But why would he suddenly give in now, after trying to resist her?_

"_It's to teach you that there's no such thing as an 'appointed fate'!" Jack replied. "I believe in you! Choose your own destiny!"_

That fool_, she thought. Choose my own destiny? There was only ever one destiny for us. This duel is over._

"_I will take the effect to inflict damage on—"_

_The voice surged back into her thoughts. _No_, it cried. It was so strong all of a sudden. She felt her will collapsing as she tried to resist it._

_She found herself gazing into Jack's eyes. They were so trusting, so confident. He truly believed in her, had put his faith in her decision. It was their fate to be together. Wasn't it?_

_All she had to do was win. So, what was stopping her?_

"_I—"_

_NO._

_Images of Jack began to flash before her eyes. That day she found him in the hospital, and how she helped him in that duel against mind-controlled Ushio. That time they spent together in the city. That horror and disbelief on his face when he found out that she was a Dark Signer._

_The control broke. She blinked, realising where she was, and what she was doing. She felt as if she had just woken up from a nightmare. Her worst nightmare._

_It was still her move in the duel. She had to make a decision, but it was an obvious decision._

"_I will take the effect to regain my life points."_

_Green energy washed over her as her life points went up._

_Jack was there, and he was ok. She felt a surge of relief. Everything was going to be alright, now. She could surrender this duel. He wouldn't have to suffer any more._

_Pain spiked through her arm, purple energy surging out of the birthmark. She felt the voice of the underworld in her head._

"_What you desire matters not! This battle is your fate appointed as a Dark Signer!"_

_She felt the underworld taking over her body. She heard herself scream in pain._

"_Carly, continue with the duel and dispatch of that Signer!"_

_She felt faint as the last of her resistance was crushed, and her vision faded to black._

* * *

Carly tossed and turned in the bed, mumbling.

_She was floating above the duel, somehow. Her body sat below her, only now it controlled by the underworld. Jack was there, too. He looked horrified._

Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry_, she thought._

_She could see her body's eyes were glowing with purple energy. It was continuing the duel; she could no longer stop it._

It's up to you, Jack_, she thought. _You must keep fighting, for my sake!

_She watched as he synchro summoned Red Dragon Archfiend and destroyed her Fortune Lady Earth._

"_Carly, open your eyes, please!" she heard him cry. She shook her head. She wanted to help, but what could she do?_

_The attack had knocked her D-wheel out of control, sending it into the flame barrier. The underworld force was trying to get back control of the cycle. Was this her chance to fight back, while it was distracted?_

_She closed her eyes and focused, willing to return to her body, but whatever was controlling it pushed her away. It managed to right itself back on the track before she could try again._

Jack, I can't do it_, she thought sadly. _I can't stop it. It's up to you. You must win!

_But the sight before her filled her with dread. The underworld force was summoning Aslla piscu. And she could do nothing to help Jack against the Earthbound god. Was he about to lose?_

_Her heart leapt as Aslla piscu attacked, but Jack was prepared. His Battle Fader ended the turn before he could lose his life points._

"_Carly! Listen to me!" Jack cried. "I was once a person who would never give a thought to others. I was a man willing enough to betray and hurt my friends, sacrificing any and all for my own ambitions! But, I learnt something from you! That even a bruised and troubled heart can be saved by a truly considerate heart!"_

_She watched. He was more emotional than she had ever seen him. She had to help him somehow. But how?_

"_Right now, I'm wishing with all my heart!" he continued. "I want to save a person I truly love – you!"_

_She felt a shock go through her soul. He loved her. He really loved her._

_She had to get through to him. Help him. She wouldn't let him fight this battle alone any longer._

"_Jack!" she cried. He didn't respond._

_His D-wheel was glowing red. The full Crimson Dragon birthmark had appeared on his back. What was happening? He held a glowing card in his hand._

_She tried harder._

"_Jack! Jack!"_

_He looked up._

"_Jack! Jack!"_

_Everything went white. Where was this? Where was the duel? Jack was there, too._

"_Jack!"_

"_Carly!" he said, looking around for her._

"_Jack, please end this," she thought to him. She would stay by his side for as long as she could. _

"_What did you say?" he replied._

"_I don't want any more people getting hurt because of me," she declared. It broke her heart to tell him, but she knew what had to be done, and she wasn't going to let Jack go through that ordeal alone._

"_Don't be ridiculous! There must be some other way!"_

"_If you truly care for me…"_

"_But, if I do that, then you'll be…" he said, knowing what winning this duel meant for her._

"_This is the fate I chose myself," she replied. "You were truly considerate of me. So, please, use your hands to finish this."_

_She saw Jack's shoulders slump in resignation._

"_I understand."_

_They had both appeared back on the tower in the city. It was sunset. They looked at each other._

"_If that is what you sincerely desire, that is just what I shall do," said Jack._

"_Thank you, Jack!"_

_They were back at the duel. Jack was synchro summoning Majestic Red Dragon. She watched as its effect stopped Aslla piscu in its tracks. He was going to win!_

"_I will finish you in one blow, just as you wish!" he said._

_But as he spoke, he hesitated. She saw he was looking at a facedown card. He didn't need it to win the duel; he just needed to attack. So what was his facedown card?_

_She had a feeling it would end the duel in a tie. He was willing to sacrifice himself so he could die along with her._

"_This is the fate Jack Atlas chose himself!" said Jack, confirming her suspicions. "Should I perish with you, I would have no regrets!"_

_No. She couldn't let him do it. He still had to go on and defeat the other Dark Signers. His destiny wasn't finished yet. She had to stop him._

_She fought with all her might against the malign power controlling her body. The strain was terrible, but she felt herself descending, returning…_

_It worked! She was in control of herself, for now. She had to act fast._

"_Here goes!" cried Jack. "Trap activate—"_

"_Trap activate! Earthbound Release!" she said, cutting him off._

"_Wh-what?" she heard Jack say in disbelief, but she was already back on the tower in the city. She heard Jack's faint voice in the distance._

"_Don't tell me that you, voluntarily…"_

"_I'll read your fortune one last time!" she thought to him. "Read what your true fate is!"_

_As she drew a card, she felt Earthbound Release activate, destroying Aslla piscu, and knew Majestic Red Dragon's counter blast was on its way. It was nearly over._

"_What I truly desire is that you become a real King, who is loved by all and gives happiness to everyone," she said. "I know that you can do it, Jack Atlas!"_

_She sent a picture of the card she had drawn to him. It was his victory, showing him celebrating with the children of Satellite. The cards sprang out of her hands of their own free will, flying in all directions. All of them showed the same thing; Jack's victory._

"_CARLY!" she heard Jack yell. She felt the underworld being scream as it was exorcised from her body._

* * *

"Jack, you did it," Carly continued to mumble.

"_Carly!"_

_Jack was shaking her. She felt weak._

"_Carly! Carly! Just hold on! Don't die on me!"_

_But she knew she was dying. Her time was up._

"_Jack, where are you?" she asked. Everything was blurry._

"_Here! I'm right here!"_

"_How strange. I can't see anything."_

"_You have to hang on! Look at me!"_

_He put her glasses on her. That was better; she could see him now._

"_I loved cheering on people who tried their hardest, like you Jack," she confessed. "Despite that, because I tried to wish for such selfish happiness, I must have been wrong for doing so, huh?"_

"_That's nonsense! Everyone has the right to wish for happiness! If you're saying that's a crime, then I'm just as guilty!"_

_She smiled at him._

"_Jack, I know you'll save the world, right? I'll be cheering you on after all!"_

_She hugged him. She knew this was her last moment._

"_I love you, Jack."_

* * *

Carly opened the door to the bedroom as quietly as possible. She didn't want to wake any of the others. They had done so much for her already, and there was something she had to do.

She had to find him. Find him and find out why he had done what he did. She had to know.

Carly walked outside to a garage, opening the main door. Inside among assorted items and tools were two D-wheels. One of them was black in colour, with orange panelling, with the other one red and white.

She recognised the red one as Yusei's; it was the one he'd used in the Fortune Cup, and during his duel with Kiryu. She would apologise to Yusei later; but right now, she needed to borrow it.

Carly started up the D-wheel and sped out into the night. She didn't know Jack's hiding spots, but she did know his Wheel of Fortune D-wheel; it was very distinctive, a large mono-wheel painted in pristine white. It was only a matter of time before she found it, and then found him.

Her initial numbness had faded, replaced now with a simmering, rising anger. Carly's disbelief and alarm at what she had seen, what had happened to her in her dreams, had been pushed aside by indignation and fury.

How could she have forgotten what had happened? After all she had gone through? And why would he pretend it had never happened, after he'd said he loved her?

Her thoughts raced as she sped through Satellite. She would have answers from him, one way or another. She would not rest until she did.

It didn't take long to find Jack's D-wheel. It was outside what looked like an old theatre. Carly pulled up outside.

_Jack_, she thought as she stalked into the building, _I will get my answers from you tonight_.

* * *

Jack sat quietly on his throne.

He knew Yusei and the others would be worried if he didn't return soon. But he couldn't go back while she was there, couldn't deal with seeing her again. Especially now. She had come here to Satellite and been injured, almost killed, in the attempt. Jack didn't know why she was here, but he knew deep down it had something to do with him.

He shouldn't have gone back to her, after the Dark Signers had been defeated. He just wanted to see her again, make sure she was ok; but he'd only got her in trouble once again. There was no way he could face her now. He didn't know any way of making it up to her.

Jack heard someone entering the theatre. Was it Yusei, coming to check up on him? He thought he'd heard a D-wheel outside just before.

As the footsteps grew closer, the cloudy night sky parted, and the light of the moon filled the theatre. He could clearly see who was heading his way.

_Oh no_, he thought. _Not her. Not now. I'm not ready for this_.

As he started to rise from the throne, struggling to find words, her full-armed slap knocked him out of the chair.

"How could you do that to me!" Carly screamed at him. "How could you!"

Jack was stunned by the ferocity in this woman's voice. What had come over her?

"W-what—" he began, struggling to focus his thoughts. Her second slap drove him to his knees. How could such a small woman hit so hard?

"HOW, Jack! You just left me there, as if nothing had happened! Why did you lie about what had happened to me? To us? After everything that had happened? WHY!?"

Jack got to his feet. Carly tried a third slap, but he blocked it.

"What do you mean? Lie about what?" he asked her, trying to keep calm. It just seemed to make her angrier.

"I remember everything, Jack! All of it! I fell from the Arcadia building, crying your name! I fought you by the hummingbird tower, deluded by the underworld into thinking we were destined to rule over hell together! I tried to help you win, only for you to try to sacrifice yourself for my sake!"

The woman did not pause for breath. Jack's heart sank as he heard each word.

"I died in your arms, whispering your name, holding you tight, wishing with all my heart you could reach your destiny! I remember it all! And what did you do? You went on as if nothing had ever happened!"

He had wished this not to happen, wished that she would never remember what she had gone through as a Dark Signer, but he'd feared that it would. And now it had. Carly collapsed against his chest, beating it with her fists, tears flowing freely.

"You lied about what happened that night! You abandoned me in the city! Why, Jack! Why! I loved you! How could you do that to me!"

She finally stopped, spent, reducing to weeping. Jack took a deep breath and composed his thoughts.

"Because it hurt, Carly. It hurt like hell, damn it!"

He felt his anger rising with every word.

"I thought I had lost you to the Earthbound gods, when they attacked the city. When I found your glasses in the ruins of the Arcadia building, I thought you had been one of their sacrifices. For days I thought that, if I could defeat the Dark Signers, I could bring you back!"

Jack felt his heart unleash all the anger and frustration, all the anguish, from the last few days of his life.

"And then I found that you were ONE OF THEM! I was forced to fight what you had become, knowing that one of us was going to die! After I broke the spell they had over you, I would have given anything to end that duel in a tie! And you cost me that! I had to watch you die, Carly! I had to watch someone I love die, someone who never deserved to die like that! Have you any idea how painful that was for me, Carly?

"And after we defeated them, I rushed back to the city to find you, to see that you were alright again. But when I did find you, you couldn't remember any of what had happened! I had gone through so much for you, and you could recall none of it! I couldn't bear to see you again, after that. You couldn't remember anything, and I wanted to forget it all as well. You were a ghost, haunting me for my failures, failures I could never make up to you, Carly."

Tears flowed down his own face, now. When was the last time he had cried like this?

"I thought you deserved to live your life without me. You could live as you pleased, without me to drag you down. I couldn't deal with the memories of what happened, and couldn't deal with the fact you had no memory of it. It pained me so! That is why, Carly. That is why I left you and came here, to live my life alone. That is why I let you go, why I ran away, like a coward. Or at least, I tried to run. But I can't; the memories won't fade, won't stop hurting. I can't deal with you being gone from my life, Carly."

He trailed off. Carly sobbed against his chest. He awkwardly patted her hair. She threw her arms around him. He hesitated, but embraced her, too.

"Jack," she said softly. "Hold me. Hold me now and never let go. Just like by the hummingbird tower. Hold me and never let me go."

"Never, Carly."


	7. Chapter 7 - Discussion

Chapter 7: Discussion

* * *

Yusei tried to maintain a calm expression as Martha raged. Inside, though, he felt anything but calm.

"I can't believe she would have done such a thing! She's far too headstrong, that girl. It'll get her into more trouble!"

"Relax, Martha," he said. "Her stuff is still here. Her pack, her duel disk, her camera. She wouldn't have forgotten them. She'll be back."

"I don't see how you can be so calm, Yusei. She took your D-wheel!"

"I'm sure she must have had a good reason. I trust her."

As Martha shook her head and continued with the morning chores, Yusei hoped his trust in Carly was not misplaced. Martha was right; Carly was certainly headstrong, and seemed to attract trouble like a magnet. She might well be out on his D-wheel in pursuit of a story; Yusei had no clue. He would have a few questions for her when she got back, that was for sure.

Aki emerged from her bedroom.

"Morning, Yusei," she said. "What's all the noise? Has something happened?"

"Carly disappeared sometime during the night," supplied Crow, coming in the front door. "She took Yusei's D-wheel."

Aki gasped at hearing the news. "But… why would she do that?"

"We don't know," put in Martha. "The fool girl she is! What if she crashes somewhere?"

"Let's just take it easy for now," said Yusei. "I have a feeling she will be back soon."

After yesterday's conversation, he had an inkling of where she might have gone. But until she returned, he would be better off keeping himself occupied. _I hope I'm right about you, Carly_, he thought.

* * *

The morning sun bathed the theatre stage in bright sunlight.

Carly stirred and stretched, yawning. She didn't remember getting much sleep. Where was she?

"Morning, sleepyhead," she heard someone say. It sounded like Jack's voice.

Then she remembered what had happened. Another dream of her time as a Dark Signer. Coming here and confronting Jack. Their reunion.

Jack was sitting on his throne again. He still held her. She snuggled into him.

"Good morning," she replied sleepily.

They were silent for a while, content in each other's embrace. Carly felt complete, here; she had regained her lost memories, but not only that, she had regained Jack.

It was morning, but she saw no reason to go anywhere just yet. Their time at the hummingbird tower had been fleeting, with barely time for goodbyes before she had turned to dust in Jack's arms. She had so much lost time to catch up on.

"You know," began Jack, looking out at the sun. "We can't stay here forever."

"Yes we can," insisted Carly. Jack smiled.

"I think Yusei will be wanting his D-wheel back," he said.

Carly started. Oh no! She'd taken Yusei's D-wheel last night! She cried in panic as she leapt to her feet. _How could I have forgotten_, she wondered. _I have to bring it back to him right away!_

"It's ok, Carly," said Jack, also standing. "It'll be alright, I'm sure he'll understand. But I've been thinking. Now that your memory is back, I think it's time we told them about us, and what happened between us. I've been avoiding it for too long, and Yusei will want a good reason why you took his D-wheel, after all."

He looked at her.

"What do you think? Have your memories settled? Do you feel ready to talk about them?"

Carly eyed him doubtfully. Would Yusei believe the story? Would any of them? How would he react if she told him she had nearly killed his best friend?

She saw the confidence in Jack's eyes. Confidence, and trust. He said it would be ok, and she believed him. She nodded.

They held each other one last time, looking out at the sunrise, before they left the stage.

* * *

Yusei continued to test out his duel computer.

It was lucky he hadn't reinstalled it yet, or it would on the D-wheel. His D-wheel, which Carly had taken and was now somewhere in Satellite. He looked out at the sun, still low in the morning sky. _Carly_, he thought, _I hope you're ok out there_.

As if answering his thoughts, he heard a D-wheel approaching. Two of them.

Yusei spied them as they got closer to the house. He grinned; it was Carly, on his D-wheel. And Jack was with her, on his own D-wheel. He went out to meet them.

"Good morning. Have a nice ride?" he asked.

Carly took off her helmet. _His_ helmet; she had taken that, too. She had the grace to blush at his question.

"I-I'm sorry, Yusei. I'm so sorry! But I had to see Jack."

"It's ok," said Yusei. "I'm just glad you bought it back in one piece."

"She bought back more than that," laughed Jack, taking off his own helmet.

Jack was laughing, Yusei realised. He hadn't laughed in days. Something had happened between them, and Yusei wondered what it was.

"Come inside, I'll prepare some tea. You can tell us everything," he finished with a grin.

* * *

Inside, they were speechless. Carly couldn't blame them.

She and Jack had given them the whole story; how she had infiltrated the Arcadia Movement and been smashed through the high window by Divine to fall to her death. How she had returned for her revenge – Aki had shuddered as she recalled that night. How she and Jack had fought at the hummingbird tower. Carly thought she would struggle to believe it herself, if she hadn't experienced it all first-hand.

"So you were the Dark Signer that Jack had a connection to," concluded Aki. "We were all wondering who he had fought, but we had no idea of who it could be."

Carly nodded. Although she could remember everything that had happened now, the fact she had forgotten about it for those few days only made her feel worse. She had done some terrible things as a Dark Signer. Sure, she was not exactly in her right mind at the time, and a lot of the damage had been undone after the defeat of the King of the Underworld; but she still felt the guilt of sacrificing people to the Earthbound gods, and of the torment she had inflicted on Jack.

Jack had sensed her sullen mood. "Carly, it's ok," he said. "You weren't responsible for all that. It's not your fault."

"That's right," added Aki. "You cannot blame yourself for what the Earthbound gods made you do."

Carly tried to put on a smile.

"I know. You're right. But I think it will take time to completely convince myself of that."

"Carly, do you remember what I was telling you about yesterday?" asked Yusei. "My parents pioneered the Momentum theory and the Ener-D power reactor that was built from it. It was that same reactor which went into Zero Reverse seventeen years ago and the resulting earthquake split Satellite off from the city. So many people died in that event, including Jack's and Crow's parents, as well as my own parents.

"I deal with the guilt of being associated with that, even though I know I wasn't responsible for it. I don't know if I will ever come to terms with it completely. But I do know that the pain does fade with time. I think that's what you need to give yourself, Carly; time."

Carly nodded, feeling better. It was easy to forget she was not the only one affected by the conflict; everyone in the room had suffered in some way from it.

She gathered her thoughts. Her and Jack had told their story; but she had come here for another reason, and it was time to address that.

"Well, I came here to get a complete and honest account of what happened, and I guess that I pretty much have that now. And more, now that I remember everything that happened while I was a Dark Signer. But what about since then? I know about what's been happening in the city, but what about in Satellite?"

"Well, life in Satellite is about people trying to make the best of what they have," replied Martha. "And it's been no different since then. It's never easy, but the people of Satellite will keep on going; we will rebuild and recover from this. And when the Daedalus Bridge is completed, we'll be ready to show the city what we're made of!"

"It won't be that easy," said Carly. "The people of the city are not happy at the building of the bridge. They still look down on the people here. Old attitudes can take time to change."

"Well, that's just something we will have to deal with," said Martha earnestly. "They'll find we're not pushovers soon enough!"

Carly smiled. She liked this woman's spirit and belief in her community. And it gave her an idea.

"That's something I'm going to write about in my next article. Stories from Satellite, I'll call it. Stories of very talented and hard-working people, trying to make ends meet out here. I'd always wanted to write about people like that back in the city, but I don't know if I would have written about it at all if I'd not met you guys."

"Don't forget us!" said Rua, while Ruka added, "We've changed a lot since we met Yusei, too!"

The teal-haired twins had joined them earlier, keen on hearing Jack and Carly's story. Carly was still a little surprised that the girl, Ruka, had become a Signer at such a young age, and shocked that her and her brother had been forced to duel against the Dark Signer Demak.

Yusei smiled. "That's right. I think it would've been very different for all of us if we had we never met. Rua and Ruka, Aki, Carly. Very different."

They felt silent, reflecting on the events that had bought them all together.

"I need to go and pick up some groceries," said Martha. "Rua, Ruka, would you like to come with me?"

"Sure," the twins agreed.

Martha and the twins bade the rest of them farewell and headed out on their shopping run. The rest of them remained sitting around the table.

"There is still one matter I would like to clear up, if I can," began Crow, clearing his throat nervously. "What happened in that alleyway the night before last?"

Carly frowned. It was the one event she still couldn't remember.

"I don't know. They had me trapped in that alleyway after our duel. I was afraid for my life. I felt something surge inside me, like a raging torrent. I don't know what it was. Next thing I remember is waking up here."

"You were in a duel just before that, you said. Do you remember anything strange happening during the duel?" asked Jack.

"No. I was in such a hurry to get away from them, I don't remember anything else happening."

"Hmm. It sounds so familiar," said Aki, half to herself. "I wonder…"

She gasped.

"You had just had a duel?" she asked Carly. "And you were afraid for your life afterwards?"

"Yes," replied Carly. "I was terrified. I thought they were going to kill me. All I could think about was what I was losing. My life. My chance at a reporting career. And Jack," she added, looking at him.

Jack smiled and ran a hand through his short blond hair, but Aki still seemed to be preoccupied with her own thoughts.

"The duel. That powerful emotion. Could it be…"

"What is it, Aki?" asked Yusei.

"Yusei, I can use my powers to manifest my cards as real effects, right? Real damage, real monsters, and so on. Divine could do the same thing; manifest his cards as _real effects_."

Yusei looked shocked, but Carly was confused. What were they talking about?

"There was a card next to the crater where I found Carly," Crow said slowly.

"What card was it?" Yusei asked. There was apprehension in his voice.

"Torrential Tribute."

"You don't think…" Yusei began to ask Aki in a quiet voice.

"It's exactly as I remember it happening to me, when I was young," replied Aki softly.

Carly was still confused. She looked at Jack; initially he looked just as confused as she was, but horror spread over his face as he came to realise what Aki had meant.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," she asked. "What do you mean?"

Aki turned to her.

"Carly, I think you might have been indirectly responsible for what happened that night. I think you might have psychic power in you somewhere. When you were in danger it manifested the card and saved your life."

Carly wasn't sure what to say at first.

"You're not serious!" she eventually blurted. "Psychic power? As in, like a psychic duellist's power?"

"I know it sounds hard to believe," replied Aki sympathetically. "But it fits. Psychic power is tied to powerful emotions."

Carly thought about the idea. She remembered her duel with Divine in the Arcadia building, how losing the duel had turned out fatal for her. Divine's monsters had been all too real. But was that really it? Was psychic power the reason for what happened in that alleyway?

"This can't be!" roared Jack, tipping his chair over as he shot to his feet. "This is Carly we're talking about! She doesn't have the same powers that you do!"

"And you have a better explanation of what happened?" Aki retorted. "I have a lot more experience in this area than you do, Jack Atlas."

Even Jack hesitated at that voice. He sat back down, muttering.

"I'm sure of it, Carly," she continued, ignoring him. "The more I think about it, the more it all seems to fit."

"Wh-what does this mean?" asked Crow. "She's a psychic like you are?"

"What it means is, I need to test my theory to see if I'm on the right track," replied Aki. "Carly, I would like to duel you, if you wouldn't mind. I would like to see if you have the psychic potential I believe you might have."

Carly was silent as she debated the prospect. What if she was right? If she had a similar power to Aki, what would happen? Carly had seen her duel at the Fortune Cup; some of her opponents had been lucky to leave the stadium with their lives.

"How can you be sure you're correct about this?" Carly finally asked. "I've duelled before and never had anything like this happen!"

"Well, I'm not sure I'm correct," admitted Aki. "I'm basing my theory on a hunch. I had similar experiences in my youth, where a surge of emotion could hurt somebody or cause damage of some sort. I can't think of anything else which would have that same sort of effect except psychic power."

Carly continued to think about the implications of possibly being a psychic duellist. She still couldn't believe that she would have power like Aki and Divine had. But would it hurt too much to indulge her in her theory?

And what if she did have the potential? Would it hurt other people, as Aki's power had done? Would it separate her from Jack?

Once again, Jack seemed to sense her mood. "Carly, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. If Aki can prove that she is correct, it might answer what happened in that alleyway."

She knew she could trust Jack. Carly would trust her very soul to him if she had to. He would keep her safe.

"Alright, I'll give it a try," she said. "But I'm worried. What if I hurt you? Or if you hurt me?"

"I won't hurt you, Carly," said Aki reassuringly. "Since the Dark Signers battle, I'm in full control of my powers. And to be honest, if I get hurt doing this, I won't object. I want to see if I'm right. And…I suppose it's a little bit of repayment for the suffering I've caused in my life."

Yusei looked concerned. "Are you sure about this, Aki? Promise me you'll be careful."

"I will be ok, Yusei, I promise," said Aki. She looked at Carly.

"Let's head outside. We'll need space to duel."

Carly followed her out, putting on her duel disk, but she couldn't hide the dread she felt at the forthcoming duel.

* * *

Jack felt uneasy as he watched them leave.

He had only heard about these psychic duellists of the Arcadia Movement after the events of the Fortune Cup, where Yusei had duelled Aki's alter ego the Black Rose Witch and had managed to break through to her true self. They had duelled again after the destruction of the Arcadia building; Yusei had gotten through to her that time as well. In a way it was similar to how he had gotten through to Carly during their dark riding duel.

Jack had also learnt about Aki's past in the process; the years of persecution by people who regarded her as a monster, because of her powers. Her tragic upbringing had led to her being consumed by her hatred, and inflicting revenge on those people when she had the chance. She had known little else but pain for all those years. That had changed after she had duelled Yusei.

But Carly was different. Carly had been fairly normal, as far as he knew. Until recent events, anyway. She was one of the gentlest people Jack knew. What would happen to her if Aki was right? Would Carly be treated as a monster too? Would the mental trauma push her over the edge?

This duel was something he had to observe, he decided as he followed them out the door. He had to be there to support Carly. He had to make sure she would not think herself a monster.


	8. Chapter 8 - The Testing

Chapter 8: The Testing

* * *

Aki Izayoi wondered if this duel was too risky, but she didn't want to back down now.

She faced Carly in an empty lot not far from Martha's house. Both of them had their duel disks set and ready to start, but Carly looked concerned.

"It's ok, Carly," assured Aki. "It'll just be a friendly duel, to see if there's any psychic potential which might come out. Relax and enjoy yourself!"

"O-ok," replied Carly, looking over at Jack.

She looked a little happier. Aki was glad Jack was there, as Carly was obviously more relaxed around him. She could see how close the two of them were; it made sense now that she knew their tragic story. Aki had to smile at how Jack had changed in the short time she'd known him, all because of the woman standing in front of her.

She wondered again if this duel was worth the risk. Aki had not been honest when she said she was in full control of her powers. They had been at their strongest during her time as the Black Rose Witch, when she was driven by her powerful hatred and anger towards others. Since the Fortune Cup and the battle against the Dark Signers – from the time she had spent with Yusei and the others – those emotions were becoming less intense, but her powers had suffered as a result. Aki knew that for her psychic ability to return to its full strength, she needed those powerful emotions back. But she wanted positive ones now; not anger and hate, but love and friendship.

Yusei was also observing the duel; he was frowning at her. Aki knew how perceptive he could be; was he still concerned she would lose control here?

"A-are you ok, Ms Izayoi?" asked Carly. "Are you ready?"

Aki smiled. "Please, call me Aki. And yes, I am ready."

They activated their duel disks. The duel was on.

* * *

**Carly LP: 4000.**

**Aki LP: 4000.**

**(Duel Theme: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Sound Duel Vol 2 – Aki Izayoi's Duel)**

* * *

Carly wasn't sure what to expect from this duel. Her only experience of psychic duelling had been with Divine, and that sure hadn't gone well. She believed Aki when she said it would be ok, but she was still apprehensive about it.

"You may go first, if you wish Carly," said Aki.

"T-thanks," she replied.

Oh well, she could at least give it a go. Jack was there if something did go wrong.

Carly examined her starting hand. Since she was a bit more experienced with her deck now, and could recall her duels with it from when she was a Dark Signer, she could see it was a nice draw. Four monsters – including three fortune ladies – and Magical Dimension, with which she could easily summon a high level spellcaster. And she had just drawn Card Ejector.

But Carly wasn't sure what Aki had in store for her. She decided it play it safe for now.

"I summon Fortune Lady Light in defence position," she said, placing the card on her duel disk. The yellow-haired spellcaster appeared on the field, clad in golden robes and carrying a staff glowing with golden light. It crouched into a defensive posture.

**Fortune Lady Light – Def ?, Lv1.**

"Fortune Lady Light's attack and defence are determined by her level times two hundred," Carly continued. "Since she's level one, she starts at two hundred, and she goes up one level at each of my standby phases."

**Fortune Lady Light – Def ? to 200.**

"I'll end my turn at that," she finished.

"Very well, my go then," replied Aki. "I set a monster in defence position and end my turn."

_A cautious start from both of us_, thought Carly as the facedown card image appeared on Aki's side of the field. She wondered what the set monster was. Aki had no other set cards out, so if Carly could bring out a second spellcaster and destroy Aki's monster she could get a life point lead. She considered it might have a nasty effect if she did attack it, but it seemed worth the risk.

"My turn. I draw."

She had drawn Solidarity, a nice card which complemented her spellcasters. But she couldn't make use of it yet, as she needed at least one spellcaster in her graveyard.

Well, so far they had both played cautiously. Maybe it was time for her to go on the offensive.

"Now, Fortune Lady Light's effect activates," said Carly. "Her level increases by one, giving her an extra two hundred attack and defence points."

**Fortune Lady Light – Def 200 to 400, Lv 1 to 2.**

"Then I'm going to switch her into attack position, and summon Ebon Magician Curran to the field, also in attack position."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 400.**

**Ebon Magician Curran – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

The black-clad spellcaster appeared on the field as the fortune lady prepared for her own attack.

"Ebon Magician Curran, attack her set monster."

The magician's dark energy attack struck the set monster, revealing it as Dark Verger – a plant creature of some sort – before destroying it.

"Next, Fortune Lady Light will attack directly!"

The fortune lady fired a burst of yellow light from her staff at Aki, dealing four hundred damage to her life points.

**Aki LP: 4000 to 3600.**

"With that, I end my turn!" finished Carly. She was already feeling more confident. Maybe this duel wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Aki thought she could sense something from Carly. The problem was, she didn't have a good idea of what she was looking for. Divine had been the expert on finding people with psychic potential.

She felt a pang of sadness at his fate, hauled away by Security after the Dark Signers war for the horrible crimes he had committed against those too weak to be of use to him. She had been one of those victims; Divine had used her and manipulated her for his own plans. Despite that, he had taken her in off the streets and given her a life, and Aki felt sad for losing him because of that.

_Enough of that_, she thought. It was time to focus on the present. She was going to have to push Carly a bit to truly test her potential; that meant taking this duel to the next level.

Aki held her memories of Divine in her thoughts as she started her turn.

* * *

"It's my turn. I draw," said Aki. Carly wondered what she had planned.

"First I summon Phoenixian Seed in attack position."

**Phoenixian Seed – Atk 800, Lv2.**

The red-leaved bulb appeared on Aki's side of the field. A large eye in the middle of the plant opened, staring at Carly. _That looks kind of freaky_, she thought.

"Next I active Phoenixian Seed's effect," Aki continued. "By sending it to the Graveyard, I can summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis from my hand. Come forth!"

The seed was replaced with a very unusual looking plant, an intricate blaze of red and yellow leaves. Carly thought it looked kind of pretty. Then she saw its attack strength.

**Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis – Atk 2200, Lv8.**

Twenty two hundred? This wasn't good.

"Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, attack her Ebon Magician Curran!"

The plant surged with red energy, firing it out towards Carly's spellcaster, destroying it. The energy blast continued into Carly, damaging her life points. She had lost a thousand points from the attack, but that was not what bothered her at the moment.

**Carly LP: 4000 to 3000.**

"Ow! That stings!" she complained. The blow from the plant had hurt. The pain was sharp, as if she had burnt her tongue on hot coffee. Had it done real damage to her? Or was this psychic feedback, like she had experienced before?

Yusei and Jack looked concerned at what they were seeing.

"Aki, maybe we should rethink this…" began Yusei.

Carly looked over at Aki. She looked determined. Determined to do what? She hoped it wasn't more psychic feedback.

"I now activate Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis's effect. When it attacks a monster, it is destroyed after damage is calculated, and when it is destroyed and sent to the graveyard you take eight hundred damage."

The plant glowed until it was incandescent before firing an energy blast at Carly, striking her on the arm.

**Carly LP: 3000 to 2200.**

It felt like an electric shock. She yelped at the pain.

"Stop this now!" shouted Jack. He'd had enough. So had Carly.

"Jack is right, Aki," added Yusei. "We have to stop this now. There must be a better way of doing this."

Aki simply looked at Carly.

"Do you trust me, Carly?" she said.

Carly wasn't sure. This duel wasn't turning out at all like she'd expected. Aki noticed her hesitation.

"It's ok," she continued. "What you are feeling is minor psychic feedback. It's not dangerous and it's not life threatening. I'm trying to push you, get you to invest in the duel, to bring out the emotion, the power."

"But you just said before it was a friendly duel!" shot back Carly.

"There's power in you, Carly," Aki replied sadly. "I can just sense it, but it's buried deep within, probably needing those strong emotions to bring it out again. We need to take this duel more seriously than I had first thought. I am sorry, but I believe it is the only way we can truly bring out your power."

Carly was shaking her head. This was too much. She remembered the pain Divine had put her through; she was better off stopping this duel than having to go through that again.

"I'm sorry, Carly," Aki said, giving her a sympathetic look. "This is more than you were expecting. We can stop if you wish."

She felt relief at Aki's words. They could stop; Aki wouldn't object.

Carly looked at Jack. The worry for her on his face was obvious; she knew he must be concerned, to show his emotions like that.

She was reminded of their battle, when she had been a Dark Signer. He had shown such strength to be able to defeat her, even though he knew she would die. She wanted to be strong too, like him. He would never run from a fight, so should she? If she really did have some sort of power in her, could she really ignore it, pretend it wasn't there, only for it to emerge at the wrong time and possibly harm people?

What if it harmed Jack? She didn't think she could forgive herself if she hurt Jack again.

Carly idly thought her reporter rival Angela would never have to make a decision like this. For some reason the idea seemed incredibly funny, and she burst out laughing.

"Carly, are you ok?" asked Jack. "What's funny?"

Carly smiled. "I was just thinking how strange life can be. I always wanted to be in the thick of the action, dealing with events first hand and talking about those that didn't get to be in the spotlight. And here I am, with the current and former riding duel Kings of Neo Domino City, facing a psychic duellist! It sounds absurd."

Her face grew serious as she continued. "Well if you really believe I have this power, Aki, then I have to be able to control it and not let it control me. For my sake. For everyone's sake. Let's continue."

Aki smiled her encouragement. Jack still looked worried, but he said nothing. Yusei was still frowning at Aki. Did he know something about her that Carly didn't?

"I will finish my turn by activating Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis's last effect," said Aki. "By removing the Phoenixian Seed in my graveyard from play, I can Special Summon my Amaryllis to the field in defence position."

**Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis – Def 0, Lv8.**

"That ends my turn."

"It's my turn then," began Carly. "I draw."

She had drawn Fortune Lady Fire. It was one of her weaker fortune ladies, but if she could summon it right, it could destroy one of Aki's monsters instantly.

Now, Aki's Amaryllis plant was on the field, in defence position. It had zero defence points, so if she could destroy it, she could attack directly. Carly was behind on life points, twenty two hundred to thirty six hundred, so she could close the gap on Aki with this attack. But Carly knew destroying the plant would deal more damage to her as well.

This time, though, she had a plan; she would stop that plant from coming back from the graveyard again.

"First my Fortune Lady Light increases by one more level. She's now level three, raising her attack and defence points by another two hundred."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 400 to 600, Lv2 to 3.**

"Next I shall summon Card Ejector, in attack position."

**Card Ejector – Atk 400, Lv3.**

The spellcaster appeared on the field, next to her fortune lady.

"Card Ejector, attack her Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis!"

Card Ejector lowered her wand at the plant and cast her spell, successfully destroying it. As Aki's monster faded from the field, its effect activated, shooting a bolt of energy at Carly.

**Carly LP: 2200 to 1400.**

The energy caught Carly in the leg; she grit her teeth against the shock. It left her with a buzzing sensation in her head; it was making her a little dizzy, and she shook her head to refocus.

"Next, Fortune Lady Light will attack directly!" she cried. The fortune lady's burst of light struck Aki, damaging her life points.

**Aki LP: 3600 to 3000.**

Had she flinched at the strike? Carly wasn't sure, but it seemed like Aki had reacted to the hit with a grimace. She would have to wait until Aki's next turn to see if she was right.

"My turn isn't done yet. I activate Card Ejector's effect, removing the Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis in your graveyard from play. Now you can't bring it back!"

Jack cheered. Yusei and Aki smiled at her move. She was back in this, but it was Aki's turn now. What did she have planned?


	9. Chapter 9 - Crucible

Chapter 9: Crucible

* * *

Aki struggled with her memories as Carly finished her turn.

She had definitely felt something there, from that direct attack. The psychic potential was there, she was sure of it. It was a good move too, removing her Amaryllis from play. It was one of her top cards.

So, now that she was sure the potential was there, how could she help Carly realise it? If she could bring out that power fully, would she be able to control it?

Again she wondered if this duel was too risky. To bring out Carly's power, Aki would have to push her further emotionally. To do that, she had to embrace her own power, and that meant opening herself up to her past once again.

Her control over her power had always been tenuous and elusive. Aki hadn't been in a duel for a long time where she'd needed to worry about having that control, either. The only time she could remember actually trying to control her power was when she duelled Yusei back in the city, when he had reunited her with her parents. She could remember Divine was the only one as strong as her who could control his power effectively, but she had never been exactly sure how had he managed it. And now that all his blocks on her were gone and she had the full extent of her powers available to her, since she defeated Misty, control of that power was even harder to maintain.

But Aki was determined to help Carly, however she could. She'd had to deal with her power alone, through most of her life. Her parents had loved her, but could do nothing to help her. Divine was the only one who could, even if he had only done so to further his own agenda. But now Aki was in a position where she could help someone else to deal with their psychic power.

She wasn't entirely sure if her idea would work, but she was going to try. She owed it to everyone she had hurt in her life to try to help Carly.

Aki closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, and focused on everything Divine had put her through. She focused on her youth when she'd been feared by her schoolmates and her parents. She focused on all the pain she had borne over the years, all the hurt she'd received from others. The rage, and power, grew inside her.

They had come this far. They had to keep going. _Please, let this work_, she thought as she began her turn.

* * *

"My turn. I draw!" said Aki.

Carly had a couple of plans to use for her next turn, but it would depend on what Aki did first. And she looked very determined.

"I summon Twilight Rose Knight, in defence position."

**Twilight Rose Knight – Def 1000, Lv3.**

The maroon-robed knight appeared on the field, moving into a defensive crouch.

"Now I activate its effect," Aki continued. "When it is successfully Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a level four or lower plant-type monster from my hand. So I bring forth Evil Thorn!"

**Evil Thorn – Atk 100, Lv1.**

The sinister looking plant rose up out of the ground, its bulbous seed pod pointed in Carly's direction. She conceded it looked pretty nasty, but it only had an attack strength of one hundred. Why bring that out?

"Now I activate the effect of my Evil Thorn. By sending it to the graveyard, I can inflict three hundred damage and Special Summon two more Evil Thorns from my deck!"

The Evil Thorn opened its seed pod and fired a storm of seeds at Carly. As they struck her, another shock ran through her body.

**Carly LP: 1400 to 1100.**

**Evil Thorn x2 – Atk 100, Lv1.**

She yelped in pain. That shock was the worst one yet. And she had two more of these creatures on the field now! Would they get their effects too? Aki seemed to anticipate her thoughts.

"Lucky for you they don't get to activate their effects because of the way they were summoned. So I'll set a card and end my turn there."

Carly knew she was down to only eleven hundred life points now, and the dizziness was growing worse. But she was surprised Aki had summoned the Evil Thorns in attack position. With only one hundred attack points, they were easy pickings. She could turn that to her advantage.

"My turn. I draw."

It was Future Visions. Carly didn't see how it could help her just yet, but she might find a use for it later. First of all, she needed to get back in this duel by destroying those Evil Thorns.

"Fortune Lady Light's effect activates. Her level increases to four, giving her another two hundred attack and defence points. But she's not staying around, because I'm tributing her to summon Fortune Lady Earth!"

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk ?, Lv6.**

Fortune Lady Light's form transformed into an orb of light, reforming into a brown-clad spellcaster. Light reflected off the goggles it was wearing as it brandished a glowing orange staff. It was Carly's most powerful monster.

"Like Fortune Lady Light, Fortune Lady Earth's attack and defence are determined by her level, this time multiplied by four hundred. Since Fortune Lady Earth is level six, that gives her twenty four hundred!"

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk ? to 2400, Lv6.**

But Carly wasn't done. She had another trump card to play.

"Next I activate Solidarity," she said, inserting the card into the duel disk. "As long as I only have spellcaster monsters in my graveyard, all my spellcasters on the field get an extra eight hundred attack!"

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2400 to 3200, Card Ejector – Atk 400 to 1200.**

She felt triumphant. Her Fortune Lady Earth was up to thirty two hundred attack points. One attack could win the duel for her. But Aki didn't seem fazed.

"Perhaps you're unaware of my Twilight Rose Knight's special effect," she said. "When it's on the field, you can't select a plant-type monster as an attack target."

The revelation had Carly concerned, but only for a moment. She could still win; she just needed to attack in the right order. She struggled to focus her thoughts as her head spun; the dizziness had not gone away yet.

"Card Ejector, attack her Twilight Rose Knight!"

The spellcaster launched a bolt of energy; it struck the knight with full effect, destroying it. Now Carly could attack the other monsters.

"Fortune Lady Earth, attack her Evil Thorn!"

The fortune lady struck the ground with her staff. A wave of energy began to travel through the earth towards Aki's monster, spikes emerging from the ground behind it in a direct line. But before it could reach the Evil Thorn, Aki had activated her set card.

"I activate Nutrient Z. When I take more than two thousand damage from a single attack this turn, I gain four thousand life points before taking the damage."

**Aki LP: 3000 to 7000.**

She had forgotten about Aki's set card. Carly's heart sank in frustration. She had missed her chance to win!

The large Nutrient Z capsule appeared on the field. It opened, releasing green energy which surrounded Aki. Then the attack hit. The Evil Thorn withered quickly under the barrage of spikes. Aki took the brunt of the attack, driving her to one knee and grunting at the shock.

**Aki LP: 7000 to 3900.**

Carly was stunned. Aki had been hurt. It was not just a holographic effect; the attack had done real damage.

"Aki!" she cried. "Are you ok?"

Aki looked back at her as she got to her feet. Carly recoiled; there was anger in those eyes, pain staring at her. What was going through Aki's head right now?

"Aki? I think we've done enough," she suggested. "You've convinced me I have some sort of power. Let's end this now before one of us gets seriously hurt."

"Is your turn over?" said Aki flatly in reply.

Her voice made Carly shiver, but Aki seemed to show no interest in stopping the duel. _Alright then_, she thought, _we keep going. I keep going, for Jack's sake. I hope you're ok, Aki._

"I activate Card Ejector's effect, banishing the Twilight Rose Knight in your graveyard. With that I end my turn."

Carly was not looking forward to Aki's next turn. Feelings of dread surged within her, warring with the dizziness in her head. Next turn was going to be an ordeal.

* * *

Aki was losing control.

One more push and Carly's power would truly come out, she knew. But her own emotions were threatening to boil over. The feelings of hate and anger she had carried through her life were still raw in her mind. While she'd changed a great deal in the past couple of weeks, it didn't make up for the years that she had suffered as an outcast. Divine's treatment of her and others like her only made her feel angrier and more frustrated. She recalled the pain he had inflicted on her through his experiments, and the ridiculous pain she still felt at losing him from her life.

This duel had been a mistake. She had been overconfident, and thought herself in control when she wasn't. But she couldn't stop now. Carly needed her help. She had to finish this duel before she lost control completely.

"Aki, that's enough," Yusei was saying. "This is affecting you more than you're letting us believe."

"No!" she replied angrily. "We continue."

It was time to test their limits, both Carly's and her own. The time for caution was past. It was time to go all out.

* * *

Carly didn't like the expression on Aki's face; it was determined and angry.

"My turn. First I draw! Now I summon Witch of the Black Rose in attack position!"

**Witch of the Black Rose – Atk 1700, Lv4.**

The purple-haired spellcaster appeared on the field. It didn't look very threatening, but given what she'd experienced in this duel so far, Carly assumed it was more of a danger than it appeared.

"Next I activate my spell card, Mark of the Rose! By removing one of the Evil Thorns in my graveyard from play, I can take control of your Card Ejector!"

The red rose mark appeared on Card Ejector's cheek, and the spellcaster moved to Aki's side of the field in a daze.

"Now we really take this duel to the next level, Carly!" cried Aki.

Take it to the next level? Carly wondered what she meant by that. Yusei seemed to understand, and shouted at Aki to stop, but Aki appeared to ignore him.

"I tune my level four Witch of the Black Rose to my level three Card Ejector!" she cried.

Witch of the Black Rose morphed into four bright stars, transforming into a column of green light which surrounded Card Ejector. Carly could feel her heart pounding. This could only mean one thing – a Synchro Summon!

"Chilling flames engulf the entire world," chanted Aki. "Pitch-dark flower set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

**Black Rose Dragon – Atk 2400, Lv7.**

Carly gaped as the huge dragon appeared over the duel, thrashing its thornlike tail and spreading its rose petal wings. This was her ace card; she'd seen her use it at the Fortune Cup. She should have known this might happen, after accepting a duel with Aki. Now what was she going to do?

"I activate Black Rose Dragon's effect!" said Aki. "When it is Synchro Summoned, I can destroy all cards on the field. Black Rose Dragon, clear the field with your Black Rose Gale!"

The mighty dragon swept forth its wings and conjured its windstorm power, blowing Carly's Fortune Lady Earth and Solidarity spell, as well as the last remaining Evil Thorn, off the field. Carly was staggered by the force of the winds; it was like bracing against a hurricane. It was all she could do to hold on, and she could see Yusei and Jack struggling likewise.

With its task complete, the dragon left the field. Carly felt weak from the effort of keeping her balance. Aki meanwhile maintained her furious expression.

"I set one card face down and end my turn," she finished.

Carly knew Black Rose Dragon's appearance had left her demoralised. Did she have any chance of winning this duel? Her life points were low, and the fury of Aki's monster had taken a lot of the fight out of her.

She looked around. Yusei's expression told of his worry for Aki; he was not happy with the direction this duel had gone. But Jack was smiling at Carly.

"Jack, what is it?" she asked.

"Black Rose Dragon is her best card, but it destroys itself with its own effect!" he replied confidently. "You can beat her, Carly! She had to bring out her best card and now it's left her open to attack. You can get back in this!"

"Jack, are you crazy?" replied Yusei, turning on him. "This duel has gone on long enough. Aki is not fit to continue! She is not in control of herself."

"Carly must finish this!" Jack retorted. "She can't back down now! Carly can win this duel!"

Carly wished she shared Jack's confidence. He was right; she had survived Aki's strongest monster, and now the field was open for a direct attack. But should she attack? What if she hurt Aki again? What if one of them got hurt badly, or fatally?

"Stop wasting time!" called Aki in a harsh voice. Carly noticed that Aki's thick metal hairpin had fallen out and now lay on the ground. Her hair hung across her face; it looked pretty intimidating.

"Just accept defeat!" she continued. "You can't win this duel. Jack doesn't know what you're up against. He's just an excuse for a duellist, after all!"

Carly felt anger stir within her at what Aki had said. She trusted Jack; she believed in him and what he said. Aki had no right to belittle him like that.

Jack looked shocked at Aki's remarks. Carly knew the responsibility was now on her to end this duel, and she was going to end it by winning it; hopefully that would help Aki calm down.

"You're wrong. Jack is a true king. And I'm going to prove it. It's my turn! I draw!"

* * *

Carly was surprised at how calm, how determined she felt, even with anger still rising in her from Aki's words.

She had drawn Pot of Avarice. With it, she could shuffle some of the monsters in her graveyard back into her deck, but she didn't currently have enough in the graveyard to do so. She would have to rely on her hand for this turn; but she had been keeping a few cards in her hand, just in case, and this was the time to pull out all the stops to win.

"First I summon Fortune Lady Fire to the field."

**Fortune Lady Fire – Atk ?, Lv2.**

The red-robed fortune lady appeared, clutching a flame-topped staff in one hand.

"But she's not staying," Carly continued. "For I use my Magical Dimension spell card! I tribute Fortune Lady Fire to summon Fortune Lady Dark in attack position!"

Fortune Lady Fire transformed into red energy, which reformed into a purple-haired humanoid, clad in indigo robes and clutching a staff pulsing with a black aura.

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk ?, Lv5.**

"As with other fortune ladies, Fortune Lady Dark's attack and defence points are determined by her level times four hundred," Carly explained. "As she is level five, her attack and defence are two thousand!"

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk ? to 2000.**

"And she's attacking you directly right now!"

The dark spellcaster flourished her staff and sent a bolt of black energy straight at Aki.

"Too predictable," was all Aki said as she activated her set card.

"I activate the continuous trap Wicked Rebirth! By paying eight hundred life points I can Special Summon one Synchro monster back from my graveyard! Arise now, Black Rose Dragon!"

**Aki LP: 3900 to 3100.**

**Black Rose Dragon – Atk 2400, Lv7.**

The sky darkened as the dragon once again appeared over the duel. Carly was faced with a replay of her attack, as there was now a monster on Aki's side of the field and it was stronger than her Fortune Lady Dark. She couldn't attack this turn, but she could still active her spell card.

"I activate Pot of Avarice! With this card I can shuffle five monsters from my graveyard back into my deck, and draw two cards!"

Crossing her fingers for a good draw, she drew her two cards. Her heart sank as she saw them; Fortune Lady Earth and White Magician Pikeru. Neither of them was strong enough to take on Aki's dragon.

"I end my turn," finished Carly. What would happen now? Could she still win?

"That's the best you can do?" cackled Aki, as she began her turn. Her voice had an unpleasant edge to it. "How pathetic. To think you were a Dark Signer!"

Carly felt her heart break as she remembered what she had done as a Dark Signer. She had hurt Jack so badly, had nearly killed him and turned him into one of them. She was better off keeping those memories buried. How could Aki be so horrible? What had come over her?

The bitterness inside her seemed to fill every ounce of her body. She had picked up a bad headache to go with the dizziness at some point, and it throbbed inside her. Carly blinked a couple of times to focus her vision.

"Black Rose Dragon, attack her Fortune Lady Dark with Black Rose Flare!"

The dragon's fire obliterated her fortune lady and knocked Carly backwards. Pain lanced through her as she struck the ground. _That shock was the worst yet_, she thought.

**Carly LP: 1100 to 700.**

"That's my turn done," said Aki with a cruel smile. Carly looked into her eyes; they seemed devoid of empathy or concern for her opponent. What could drive Aki to act like this?

She looked over at Jack and Yusei, but they looked stunned at what they were seeing. The sight rekindled her own anger, and Carly got to her feet. She had to finish the duel as soon as she could.

Her throbbing headache felt worse than ever as she tried to focus on her turn. She had two monsters in her hand; she would have to use them to protect the last of her life points.

"My turn. I draw!"

_Here we go_, she thought. _Finally my luck is in._

She had drawn Mystical Space Typhoon. This could destroy a spell or trap on the field. Aki's trap, Wicked Rebirth, was the only thing keeping her dragon out of the graveyard, and she could take out that trap right now!

"What will happen to Jack, when you lose?" Aki asked suddenly. "Maybe I'll duel him next. He can find out what it's like to duel with the Black Rose."

Carly felt her emotions surge within her; anger, frustration, her love for Jack. She would not let him suffer at the hands of this woman!

"I activate my spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon! It destroys your trap card!"

But even as she activated it, she could sense something was wrong. She could feel power bursting inside her, power that was out of her control.

A tornado formed out of a cloudless sky, filling the empty lot where they were duelling. Carly felt herself blown back against a nearby building. At the edge of her vision she could see Aki had been blown back also. Yusei and Jack were struggling against the force of the winds, but they were fighting a losing battle.

And then, as quickly as the winds had arrived, they faded. Carly was dazed; she felt weak and confused. What had just happened?

She felt Jack lift her up and carry her back to the house. Yusei was a step behind, carrying Aki; the woman was unconscious. _I hope she's all right_, Carly thought, as the dizziness overcame her, and she blacked out.

* * *

Jack quickly got Carly back to the house and into the room she had been staying in. He didn't quite understand what had happened, but from Yusei's reactions he gathered that Aki's powers were still not completely in her control as she had asserted.

He looked over Carly again; she seemed dazed and weak, but there didn't appear to be any injury, to his relief. She would be fine, hopefully. She would recover and be alright again.

Jack desperately hoped that she would. Carly had only been back in his life a matter of hours, but he understood now how much he needed her.

"Jack," said Yusei, entering the room. "Aki seems to be ok, though I won't know for sure until she wakes up. That last effect knocked her out."

Jack nodded. "Same with Carly. I think she will be ok. I hope."

They shared a look as they left the room. Things had gone too far in that duel, and both of them regretting not stepping in. Now it was too late.

Jack shook his head. _Please be okay, Carly_, he hoped.


	10. Chapter 10 - An Ending and a Beginning

Chapter 10: An Ending and a Beginning

* * *

Carly finished looking over the article she had put together.

Yusei had scavenged a laptop from somewhere and repaired it so she could use it for her reporting. Carly was incredibly grateful for Yusei's skill with electronics, as she could now complete her article regarding the events of a few days ago. That was the reason she'd come to Satellite in the first place, after all.

She had woken a few hours after her duel with Aki had ended. Carly remembered what had happened in the duel, and still couldn't understand what had come over Aki. Yusei had explained a little to her about Aki's past as the Black Rose Witch, and assured her that the matter would be sorted when she awoke. She still felt she was missing out on the whole story – she never liked being in that position – but she respected Yusei's opinion and tried to keep her focus on the article for now.

"Is it ready?" asked Jack, looking over her shoulder.

Carly looked back at him. He had been hovering over her since she had woken up; he was obviously worried about her after the events of the duel. She was still amazed at how he had changed over the time she had come to know him; he seemed so protective of her, now. But then again, after their reunion the night before, it was easy to see why.

"Yes," she replied. "Let's see if this video link will work."

With Jack's help, she had managed to establish a rough video connection through to the city. Carly initiated the call, using the number she knew would connect her straight to Ushio's office.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself; this wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

Ushio's videophone chimed.

He frowned, looking at the caller location identifier; it was coming from Satellite. But Security weren't due to report for a few more hours.

He accepted the call. Carly's face appeared on the screen, and he could see Jack just behind her.

"Carly? Is that you?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes," she replied. "Hello, Ushio. Thanks to Yusei, me and Jack managed to get this connection working."

"It's good to see you, I hadn't expected to hear from you. You made it to Martha's, by the look of it. I'm pleased to see that."

"Actually, it didn't go smoothly," Carly replied. "I had a run in with a couple of guys before I made it here."

"A run in?" asked Ushio, concerned. "What happened? Were you hurt?"

"They challenged me to a duel in the street. I managed to beat them, but they weren't happy and chased me. I blacked out at some point; must have hit my head or something. When I woke up, I was at Martha's. Crow had found me and bought me there. Said the guys' names were Zippy and Theo."

Ushio was sure the shock was obvious on his face. He had heard the fortune-telling reporter had a streak of bad luck; but still, he'd never expected her to come across two of the most notorious men in Satellite in the middle of the night. _Those two belong in prison for life_, he thought.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're ok! Those two are bad news. I never expected—"

"Ushio Tetsu!" raged Martha as she put her face in view of the video link. "How could you let a girl wander through the streets of Satellite on her own like this? She could have been killed! How could you be so foolish?"

"Y-you are right, of course!" stammered Ushio. "I'm very sorry, Carly! And Martha! I didn't mean for you to have any kind of trouble, honestly!"

"It's ok, Martha," said Carly from behind the older woman. "I was lucky to even get here. It's not his fault, I should have been more careful."

Martha still looked angry, but she moved out of the picture. Ushio thought he could hear her muttering in the background.

"Anyway," continued Carly. "I'm calling you for a favour. I know everything that happened now – Yusei and the others have filled me in – and I've written an article. I was wondering if you might be able to send it through to my boss."

Ushio felt butterflies in his stomach. He knew the reaction an article like that would get around the city. Some would never believe it to be true, but others would use it as an excuse to cause trouble. It would be a major headache for the Public Security Maintenance Bureau for years, if not decades.

"I see. What does the article say?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm. Carly lowered her head, a resigned expression crossing her face.

"It describes how the Arcadia building was badly damaged in an explosion," she said, in a quiet voice. "It also mentions how a similar explosion occurred in the Satellite, but the damage was a lot more widespread. The causes of the explosions are unknown, but Sector Security is investigating the incidents."

Ushio couldn't help but feel sympathy for her. That wasn't the true story, and he knew Yusei and the others would not hide the truth from her. He rubbed his chin as he understood; she'd covered it up herself. He knew it must have taken quite an effort for her to make that call.

"Ok. Well, if you send me the article over the connection I'll pass it on to Mikage. I'm sure we can get it to your boss at the paper in time for tomorrow's edition."

"Thank you, Ushio," replied Carly, still looking sad. Ushio tried to reassure her.

"You've made the right choice, Carly. I can tell you don't like it, and I agree with you, but I think you've made the right choice here."

Carly nodded, though she didn't look any more at ease. At least he had tried.

"Would you also be able to tell my boss I will be staying here for the time being?" she asked. "I will be writing regular articles for him, but I will be working from here, for now. Mention I will getting exclusive interviews with the former duel king Jack Atlas and new king Yusei Fudo – that will get his attention, I'm sure."

"Of course, Carly," replied Ushio. "Stay safe! There are more hazards in Satellite than criminals."

Carly nodded, still looking downcast, and cut the link.

Ushio sighed and slapped his desk with a palm. He was smarter than this, sending a girl into the slums alone. He'd honestly thought Carly would have no trouble in Satellite, but after meeting those two, he knew she was lucky to be alive. He couldn't tell Mikage this, or anyone else; it would be too embarrassing, and potentially could lose him his job.

He opened the article, interested in looking through it himself before he sent it through. It was as she described it; unexplained explosions, official investigations. Nowhere was there a mention of Dark Signers, or black fog, or fiery geoglyph barriers. Nowhere was there a mention of Godwin. The entire story was a fabrication, and they both knew it.

Even as he forwarded it on to Mikage, he couldn't help feeling more than a little guilty. He had helped to cover up the troubles, and nearly got that girl killed in the process. He would have to make it up to her, somehow, and to Martha. One day, he would.

* * *

Carly felt ashamed. Even though a part of her knew she'd made the right decision, she felt ashamed.

She was a journalist. It was her job to report what was going on, to provide an accurate and complete account of events, not write fake articles about 'unexplained explosions'. No matter how right Ushio and Mikage had been about concealing the truth of those events – and how much she understood and agreed with that sentiment now – she couldn't reconcile herself with what she had written.

"That must have been hard, Carly," said Martha, patting her shoulder. "Why did you decide not to publish the truth in the end?"

Carly rested her head on her arms.

"Who would believe it?" she replied. "Flaming geoglyphs? Earthbound gods? If my boss published a story like that – if he could even believe it himself – the paper would go bust overnight. People wouldn't be able to accept it."

"Well, it's done now, Carly," said Yusei. "I know it's not how you wanted to write it, but you've finished it."

"That's right," agreed Jack. "It's time for you to leave your concerns about it behind."

They were right. Of course they were right. She had made this decision, and she had to accept it.

"So it's true then?" Jack asked in a hopeful voice. "You're… staying here?"

"I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be right now," she said, smiling sweetly at him. "Besides, I have you and Yusei to interview now, and I have an idea for a regular article I'd like to write about while I'm here."

Yusei looked uncertain at being the object of an interview, but Jack laughed. "Still trying that trick? Well, I may be the former king, but I'm still 'The King'!"

"What regular piece did you plan on writing?" asked Martha.

"It'll be about the people here in Satellite," replied Carly. "Since I was young, I've always loved to talk about people's successes and bring their stories to the world; but I kind of lost touch with that in the city, I think. I got too focused on making a career for myself, and leaving out the people who might not get a chance to make one of their own. Plus, when the Daedalus Bridge is completed, there won't be a barrier between the city and Satellite any longer. If I can tell people what it's like here, before the bridge is finished, it might make it easier for the two communities to live together."

Martha looked impressed. "I think it's wonderful," she said, sounding happy.

At that moment, the door to Aki's room opened.

* * *

Clearing her throat, Martha stood up from the table. "Well, the day's getting on. I think we all have things to be doing, so we'd better get to them. Hadn't we?"

Yusei and Jack got up, mentioning they'd be in the garage as they left the house. Martha left to continue her late afternoon chores. Carly was left at the table by herself as Aki entered the room.

"May I sit down?" she asked Carly quietly.

"Of course," Carly replied.

As Aki sat down, Carly got straight to the point.

"I'm glad to see you're up, but I can tell you're upset," she said. "You're unhappy of what happened in that duel, right?"

"I am so sorry, Carly," apologised Aki. "What happened was dreadful. I lost control of myself. I wanted to push you to try and draw out your power, but what happened was that I couldn't keep control of my own. All of those feelings from my life still haunt me, even after I thought I'd dealt with them. I found myself as the Black Rose Witch again as the anger took over. I said some things I greatly regret, because of that, and I am truly sorry."

Carly shuddered as she remembered what she had said about her and about Jack.

"It's ok, Aki. I'm sorry the duel got to that stage. It reminded me of my duel with Divine; it was that same feeling of terror. Being able to inflict real damage on people in duels! It's scary. I'm just glad we are both alright, after that."

Aki smiled at that.

"I feel that way, too. And the fact that it scares you so much should make you feel happy, because it means that you won't want use your power in that way unless you have no choice. While I was the Black Rose Witch, I hurt people because I _wanted_ to. I never thought of it as scary; it was the only thing that made me feel better about myself."

Carly knew Aki was right. The idea of hurting someone else like that horrified her. To remember that she had done it herself to many people, during her time as a Dark Signer, made it seem even worse, regardless of whether she was being controlled at the time or not.

"But the duel helped me learn a few things," Aki continued. "Your strong determination and perseverance help you focus your power. You have a close bond with Jack and I think that also helps you focus. And I now better understand my own limits, too. I thought I had gained complete control of my powers after the fight with the Dark Signers. But now I realise I haven't dealt with all my issues yet, and that keeps me from fully controlling my powers."

Carly nodded. "I'm sure you will be able to deal with them."

"It won't be easy," said Aki gravely. "I will have to change myself, significantly, let go of the anger and hatred I've kept for many years. Let go of Divine, who still helped me deal with my powers even if he was only using me for his own agenda. I need to focus on more positive emotions, so that I can find a new channel for my power. And in the process I will help you, Carly. I'll do my best to help you learn to control your own power."

Carly was moved by Aki's honesty and her own determination to overcome this ordeal they'd had, and on impulse leaned over to hug her. She had a newfound respect for her now, for having lived with her power for so long and for having suffered so much in her life because of it. How would she have fared had she been in Aki's place? Would she have been as determined to redeem herself?

It reminded Carly of when she had talked to Jack back on the tower in the city; that seemed like an eternity ago now. She realised that this moment was the end of her old life, as the unlucky, lonely and desperate reporter. It was the beginning of a new life, of the reporter who had new friends and a new strength to chase her dreams. She still had her memories of her time as a Dark Signer, but they had matured her, forged her into a stronger person than she would have been without them. And that was worth the pain of knowing what she had done.

_Yes_, she thought, _the future is looking bright. And I don't need a card to tell me that_.


	11. Chapter 11 - Sightseeing

Chapter 11: Sightseeing

* * *

The door thumped again. Chief Koji knew it wouldn't hold much longer; he wished Ushio would answer.

"This is Ushio," he finally heard on the line. "What's the problem, Facility?"

"Sir! This is Koji. We have a break, repeat, we have a break. This is Omega Priority, sir!"

There was silence at the other end before Ushio spoke.

"Report! Now!" he thundered.

"We've locked ourselves in the office, but they're right outside," replied Koji. "They could break through the door at any—"

The door exploded inwards with another thump, showering the office in splinters. Koji's two security assistants moved to block the doorway, but forks of black lightning struck both of them in the chest. They screamed as they disintegrated in surges of dark energy.

Koji almost dropped the phone. Standing in the doorway, flanked by two burly men, was a girl in a black hooded robe. She raised an arm towards him.

"It's too late! They've broken—"

His last sight was the girl's two vivid green eyes as black lightning arced towards him.

* * *

He wasn't used to carrying passengers, and his D-wheel wasn't built for it. Still, he could put up with it this time.

Carly sat awkwardly on his lap as they drove through the streets of Satellite. Jack wondered how they had got onto the topic of his past when they had been talking this morning. He was still uncomfortable talking to her about his life in Satellite, even after he had revealed the truth about himself back in the city.

"_Come on Jack, this is where you grew up!" she was saying. "I'd love to see all those places you used to live!"_

"_Uh, they're not that special, Carly. A lot of them are just ruined buildings or such, which we only used for a short time."_

"_They still mean something to you, though!" she'd replied. "Some places we live in or visit can really affect who we are or who we become. Like the tower in the city! Right?"_

Jack could remember what had happened at that tower; she was right about that. But none of the places in Satellite were like that.

"Cheer up!" said Carly. "You're not a very inspiring tour guide!"

Jack smiled and pointed off towards the right.

"You know about the B.A.D., of course. Before the Dark Signers arrived, it was an abandoned part of town. Security never patrolled there, so it was where the worst elements of Satellite would gather."

"Godwin planned for the conflict with the Dark Signers to happen there, right?" asked Carly. "At least, that's what I thought I heard from Yusei. That was the reason he ordered security to stay away?"

"Something like that, I think. There's not much left of it, now; the damage done by the geoglyphs has pretty much levelled whatever buildings remained there."

Carly shivered against him. Jack suspected she was thinking of their duel again. He changed the subject.

"This was Domino City's main highway at one point, probably," he said, indicating the road they were travelling on. "Though you wouldn't think it now, given the state of it."

The highway was a mess of potholes and broken railings. It was a handy place to test D-wheels, though, as it was hardly used by anyone else. Jack expected that once the Daedalus Bridge was completed, the highway would be repaired and used again. It would take time, but eventually it might draw the traffic it used to support many years ago.

"It's nothing like the ones back in the city," Carly agreed.

"We spent quite a bit of time on this highway," Jack explained. "This is where we trained ourselves for riding duels."

He thought over all the duels he'd had down here, as they continued along the broken highway.

* * *

"That's where I spent a great deal of my time, while I was growing up," he said, as they drove past the old theatre. "It had been abandoned since Zero Reverse. I can't remember how old I was when I found it, but it hasn't really changed since then."

"I remember the place," she said. "I could never forget it, now."

"I used to sit there for hours, sometimes, thinking I was a King. As I got older I began to realise I was actually sitting there because I wanted to be a King; to be someone of importance, of status, to have a life that meant something. I couldn't deal with the idea of just being another person in Satellite; I always wanted to be more."

"I've seen how close a lot of the people here are," replied Carly. "A lot of people would find plenty of meaning in their lives by helping out those closest to them. You went through that yourself, with Yusei and the others, right?"

Jack sighed.

"Well, I'd had to survive on my own from when I was very young. Even before I met Yusei and Crow, I'd always been a loner and was wary of other people. We've been through a lot together, the three of us, but I think the breakup of Team Satisfaction turned me back towards that lone wolf persona."

"Then maybe that's why you liked that theatre so much," suggested Carly. "You prefer to be in control of yourself and your future, and after the breakup that was a place where you could feel in control."

_Maybe she's right_, Jack thought, as they continued through Satellite. He had never liked depending on others. He had always preferred being in control of his own life.

The idea occupied his thoughts as they sped through the streets.

* * *

They were coming up on Satellite Bay. Jack bought his D-wheel to a stop at the water's edge.

"This bay has been a big part of our lives here in Satellite," he began. "This is where I took that step, where I discarded my friendships for a chance at being a King."

"What did you do?" asked Carly.

"I left Rally on a boat out in the bay, and I forced Yusei to go and rescue him. That's when I took his Stardust Dragon card and his D-wheel, and headed to the city."

Carly was silent for a moment.

"I see. This Rally was a close friend of yours?"

"He was closer to Yusei than me," answered Jack. "He helped Yusei after the breakup, him and his friends. He was one of the few people who trusted me unconditionally. And I betrayed that trust."

"Oh, Jack, I'm sorry," said Carly, looking back at him sadly.

"I must make it up to him, one day. He has forgiven me for what I did, but I haven't forgiven myself yet."

Carly was looking out over the bay. Jack could make out Neo Domino City on the horizon.

"You can see the highest buildings in the city from here," she said. "So many must come here, dreaming of maybe getting to the city one day."

Jack nodded. He had been one of them.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing at a structure jutting out a short distance into the bay.

"That is the old Daedalus Bridge," supplied Jack. "It's probably one of the most important structures in Satellite, now, because it represents the hope the people here have of a better future. Soon, this is where the real bridge will connect Satellite to the city."

"You must be looking forward to it," said Carly.

"Yes, but it feels strange that the two places will finally be reunited. A lot is going to change."

She nodded her agreement.

They gazed out over the water in silence for a little longer, before Jack began to take the D-wheel to its next stop.

* * *

"That used to be a subway, but no trains have run there for many years."

Carly looked where he was pointing. She could see the stairs heading down into the underground.

"Yusei used it as a hideout, back in the day," Jack continued. "This was where he met Rally and the others. They still stay here, as far as I know; Yusei visits them regularly."

"I still find it surprising how places like Martha's are so unique," said Carly. "So most people here simply find places to stay where they can?"

Jack nodded.

"They're rough places, by comparison to Martha's, but the people who live there think of it as their home."

Carly thought about how lucky she was in the city to have her own apartment. For most people here, having a private place to stay was near to impossible.

It made her think about her own past, living in the city. She had never talked about that with anyone before – it was too personal – but she could trust Jack. Maybe this was the time to tell her story.

"Before I got my apartment, Jack," she began. "I had to spend a couple of months living on the streets of the city. I had just arrived in Neo Domino, a silly girl with nothing but my dreams to hold on to. They were two of the hardest months of my life. Once I got my job with the paper, and my apartment, I resolved to never go back to that life, but I always remembered the people I met who weren't as lucky as I was. I think that is what I find so inspiring about the people here, that they remind me of that period in my life."

Jack was silent as he considered what she had said.

"You've never mentioned this before."

"It's not easy to talk about," replied Carly. "You know?"

"I think I do."

* * *

They were passing through a large scrapyard. Jack knew this place in particular was a dumping ground for all sorts of electronic waste.

"We come to this scrapyard quite frequently," he explained to Carly. "As part of the garbage processing from the city, a lot of discarded electronics and such end up here. It's often a good spot for finding D-wheel parts, too."

"I can see how that would be appealing," Carly replied with a grin.

"Some say the place is haunted," he continued. "That it's inhabited by the spirits of forgotten duellists. I've always thought it nonsense, myself."

"I bet it's just a way for you guys to keep people away, so you can get your hands on the good stuff here," she replied.

As they both laughed at the remark, Jack spied something in the junk piles and bought his D-wheel to a stop.

"What is it, Jack?" asked Carly.

"See that there?" he asked, keeping his voice low. "That D-wheel frame looks mostly intact. It's missing some panelling around the middle and needs some new tyres, and the screen is broken, but it looks good otherwise. I reckon we might be able to fix it up with a little time and effort."

He got off his D-wheel and moved to examine the wrecked frame. _Yes, it definitely wouldn't take too long to get this working again_, he thought as he looked it over.

Jack quickly moved the contents of a nearby rubbish pile over the frame. Satisfied that it was sufficiently hidden, he brushed off his gloves and turned back. Carly was watching him, obviously amused.

"You can never assume people will leave things like that alone," he said seriously. "Around here, anything which isn't nailed down is fair game."

"I suppose that's fair enough," she replied, but she was still grinning at him.

Jack got back on his D-wheel, Carly returning to his lap, and he continued their trip through the scrapyard.

* * *

It wasn't long after they left the junkyard that they arrived a large building. Carly thought it looked pretty secure, surrounded with a metal fence topped with a layer of razor wire, and with security guards watching the main gate into the complex.

"There is the garbage processing factory," explained Jack. "This is probably one of the few formal workplaces in Satellite, and where the pipeline to the city is."

"That was how you got to the city, right?" asked Carly. Jack nodded.

"To my knowledge, only two people have made use of it to get to the city proper; me and Yusei. It was only because of our D-wheels that we succeeded, because it's a very small window where the pipeline is clear. Nobody would ever make it on foot."

Carly shuddered at the idea of riding along a giant pipeline, trying to avoid garbage along the way. She was going to be a bit more appreciative of where her junk went when she got back to the city, that was for sure.

"It must have been pretty horrible," she commented.

"It wasn't really. Compared with what's happened since then, I mean. It doesn't seem like a very big deal, now."

She changed the subject. "So some places around here are still relatively intact?"

"Well, this area in particular was where they focused their repairs and rebuilding after Zero Reverse," said Jack. "For the factory, for example. There's also a couple of hospitals around here which have been repaired."

"How would you keep a hospital supplied out here?" asked Carly.

Jack laughed. "I never could figure that one out either. Dr Schmitt, a friend of Martha's, always seemed to be pretty well supplied. We never did find out where he got his stuff from, though."

Carly tried to imagine this place having no doctors, or any way of dealing with the sick. Back in the city healthcare was readily accessible. Not for the first time she considered how lucky she had been.

"You know what?" suggested Jack. "I wonder if Godwin had something to do with it. He had always intended to keep Satellite and the city separate, but maybe he made sure the doctors here were well-supplied. He did some strange things like that; he was cruel and manipulative in some ways, but kind in others."

"He never seemed like a very caring person," she replied; Godwin had always seemed quite cold and calculating to her.

"He was originally from here, you know," said Jack. "The old bridge at the bay was built by him. Ask Crow to tell you about the legend of the bridge sometime."

Carly resolved to do that. Maybe she didn't understand Godwin as well as she thought she did.

She saw the orphanage in the distance.

"Is the tour nearly over?" she asked, disappointed.

Jack smiled at her. "I'm afraid so."

_Oh well_, she thought, _it was enjoyable while it lasted_.

Carly decided to make another resolution; to spend as much time with Jack as she could while she was here. She wanted to know everything she could about him, to better understand where he had come from.

She wasn't about to let him out of her sight again.

* * *

Jack pulled up outside the orphanage. He'd been surprised how enjoyable that had been. As awkward as it was having Carly on his lap like that, it hadn't been as hard to go around his old haunts as he had expected. Maybe he'd been too hard towards what had happened in his past.

"I bet you're thinking about that frame again," Carly teased him.

Jack smiled. "Actually I was thinking that maybe I was more at home here than I realised, back then. When I was younger, sometimes all I could think about was getting away from here."

Carly nodded.

"I miss the city," she admitted. "I miss my apartment and my car. I even miss my work. Part of me just wants to get back there. But part of me is happy that I'm here, to experience what it's like where you grew up."

Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I do too, Carly. I miss it too, you know."

As Carly entered the house, Jack looked back in the direction of the city. Even considering how he felt about his time there, he did miss it. There was always something happening, a duel tournament or something else. In some ways it felt more of a home to him than Satellite did; but after that morning ride, he wasn't really sure where he felt most at home.

As he followed Carly into the house, he wondered what was happening in the city right now.

* * *

Usui wondered what all the noise outside was about; had there been a riot or something?

The cell door beeped as it was unlocked. A man opened it, walking through into Usui's cell. He was smartly dressed in a grey vest and tie, with dark trousers. Usui had never seen him before, but the man obviously carried himself with authority. He looked Usui over, a frown crossing his features as he did so.

"No, not you," was all he said.

A woman in a black robe entered the cell behind the man. She had the hood of her robe up, but Usui could see she had long red hair and bright green eyes.

"The last guards have been dealt with," she said to the man in a cold voice. "The place is yours, Divine."

"Good," he replied. He looked at Usui.

"He has no potential. You can have him."

As the man left the cell, the woman turned her eyes on Usui. They glittered with anticipation.

Usui swallowed. He had a bad feeling about this woman.

* * *

Ushio still held onto the receiver, the line dead. Koji's words echoed in his ears.

Omega Priority. A complete loss of control.

He slowly replaced the receiver on the desk and reached for a different phone; a direct line to the director's office. Nervously he picked it up and held it to his ear. After a short time, it was answered.

"This is Jaeger."

Ushio took a deep breath.

"Security Chief Ushio here, sir. There's been a prison break at the Facility. Omega Priority. All contact with security there has been lost."

* * *

A/N: Just to clarify two of the characters in this chapter. Usui was one of Himuro's goons while Yusei was in the facility – he's the one in the orange jacket during Yusei's duel with Himuro. Koji is an original character for this story – he's the replacement chief for the Facility after Takasu was fired (after losing to Yusei).


	12. Chapter 12 - Lessons

Chapter 12: Lessons

* * *

Carly reviewed the interview she had done.

Her questions to Yusei had been mostly about the path he had taken to the Fortune Cup and becoming the new Duel King of Neo Domino City. Carly hadn't realised how much he had gone through to get to the city just so he could duel Jack again; that in itself would have made a great story, let alone what he had done in the city after that.

She had avoided asking him specific questions about his earlier life. Instead Carly had focused on asking about the difficulty of life in Satellite, and how the importance of duelling there had forged a number of very capable duellists. She hoped to impress on the people of the city that those in Satellite were not as easy to beat as many of them thought.

"I still don't understand why you picked Yusei first for your interviews," complained Jack. Carly found it hard to tell if he was being serious or if he was mocking her.

"Well he is the new King, after all," she replied. "It was only fitting, since you're not King anymore."

She could see Jack steaming over what she had said, and smiled at him. Carly enjoyed reminding him of that defeat and seeing the reaction it got out of him. He and Yusei had patched up their differences, but Jack never liked losing.

She decided to change the subject. "How's that D-wheel coming along?"

Jack smiled. "We've just about finished. Crow found a CPU chip for it today. I still don't know where he got it – it wasn't the usual spot – but it's working great."

"Pleased to hear it," she replied. Jack, Yusei and Crow had been working on that thing for a couple of days now, after Jack had retrieved it from the scrapyard. Carly was still amazed by some of the parts they had been able to scavenge, though she guessed they'd had plenty of practice when it came to scavenging.

Not for the first time, she thought about the people she'd met here in Satellite – Jack, Martha, Yusei, and the others – and how she appreciated what they'd done for her. Carly had lived on the street before, but it was easier in the city, in a way; she'd been able to live out of her car at times. But here in Satellite it never seemed to get easier, by all the accounts she'd heard. Carly guessed the hardship was what bought them together, gave them a strong sense of community, compared to city life where sometimes that community spirit was absent.

She shook her head slightly as she returned to her article, reflecting on her good fortune.

* * *

Jack knew Carly enjoyed reminding him about his loss to Yusei, at the end of the Fortune Cup. He'd consigned that defeat to the past now, and he knew that Carly was just trying to get a reaction out of him more than anything else.

He knew she wasn't trying to be nasty. Still, if there was anything that made him grimace, it was that loss.

He would have to get her back somehow, for that. He couldn't just let her get away with it; he needed a way to get her flustered. What might work?

At that moment, Crow's head poked through the door into the house.

"It's ready to go!" he said enthusiastically. "Yusei's tested the Momentum charge and electronics. It'll definitely need some fine tuning, adjustments, all that stuff, but it'll ride."

"Great!" replied Jack, as he went out to take a look. He'd just had an idea of how he could get back at Carly, something she wouldn't expect. It was time to see how she fared in his world for a while.

* * *

Carly watched as Jack followed Crow out the door. _I wouldn't mind a look at it myself_, she thought, remembering what the frame looked like when they'd retrieved it. Closing the laptop, she hurried out after them to the garage they were working in.

"It won't be winning any races or riding duels quite yet," Crow was saying as she joined them. "But it should run alright."

"It does still need a bit of work though," Yusei added, nodding. "Computer needs a bit of programming and suspension is a little loose."

The D-wheel looked much as Carly remembered it, not particularly remarkable – it was still unpainted and missing some of the body work – but they'd found new tyres and screen for it. It was powered up and the computer seemed to be working.

"It's… interesting," Carly mused as she looked it over once more. She had thought it would a little different, a little more finished maybe.

"Hey, a lot of work goes into these things, you know," said Jack, laughing. Now he WAS mocking her. "You can't make the Wheel of Fortune overnight."

"I know that," she replied testily. "I suppose I wasn't sure what to expect."

A crafty look had come into Jack's eye. _Uh oh, _she thought_. He's planning something, and I don't think I'm going to like what it is._

"You said it should run alright?" he asked. "We should take it for a test run, then."

"That's the plan," replied Crow. "I'll be taking it out later on the old highway."

"I have a better idea," declared Jack, grinning. "Carly and I will give it a run. Right now. She can ride this wheel and I can ride mine."

Carly gaped at him. Had she just heard him correctly?

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Jack," said Yusei. "As I said, it still needs work…"

"And she's not an experienced rider," added Crow. "What if something happens?"

"She will be able to handle it," argued Jack. "She's a better rider than you give her credit for."

"They're right, Jack," Carly replied. "Just because I've ridden a couple of times doesn't make me a good rider. I still feel bad over taking Yusei's D-wheel that time and what could have happened to it."

"You will be fine," affirmed Jack. "Trust me. I have full confidence in your ability."

Yusei and Crow didn't look convinced, and neither was Carly. Jack grinned at her. Was he trying to reassure her?

Maybe he'd got the wrong idea, just because she'd regained her memories. Carly hadn't necessarily made it clear to him that her riding skill in that duel they had wasn't her own, but she hadn't thought to mention that to him before now.

"Ok then Jack," said Yusei slowly. "But be careful! And don't go too far."

Carly gasped. The decision had been made just like that!

"No, Jack, wait—"she began.

"You'll be ok, Carly. Here, put this on," he said, throwing her a helmet.

* * *

They drove through the streets of Satellite.

"Isn't it great, Carly?" Jack laughed. "There's nothing that compares to riding your own D-wheel. Relax and enjoy yourself!"

Relax? Carly wished she could relax. The D-wheel ran fine, it seemed, although she noticed the suspension issue Yusei had mentioned. But she remembered the expressions on Yusei's and Crow's faces at Jack's suggestion. They weren't sure if their hard work was going to return to them or end up back at the scrapyard.

She could understand how Jack would enjoy this; the rush of adrenaline, the speed, and certainly the duelling. She had felt that rush somewhat on their tour a couple of days ago, but it was different being in control this time. The driving was not so different from her car, although the D-wheel was a lot more powerful; keeping control was tricky, and she certainly couldn't relax!

This was payback, she was sure of it. Payback for bringing up his loss to Yusei again.

"This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" Carly called to him. "Get me to test it with you!"

Jack didn't speak, but the grin on his face as he looked back told her she had guessed correctly. _I'll get you back for this, Jack_, she thought.

"Do you remember our duel at the hummingbird tower, Carly?" Jack asked suddenly.

"I remember," she replied slowly. Why had he bought that up? He knew she would never forget that duel. That was a whole batch of bad memories.

"We should have a riding duel," Jack continued. "I could show you how the real King duels!"

_So the plan finally comes out_, she thought. A riding duel was not so different from regular duelling, except for the fact that you were on the back of a motorcycle capable of doing over two hundred kilometres per hour. Carly knew she should have suspected he'd try this. But what was he trying to achieve? Did he want to prove to her he could beat Yusei?

She pulled her D-wheel to a stop. Jack, surprised, turned and pulled up beside her.

"Jack, I can't," said Carly. "You remember what they said. It's not ready for riding duels. Besides, I've never really had a riding duel before."

Jack looked at her, surprised. "Of course you have, Carly. The hummingbird tower?"

"Jack, that wasn't me. I remember what happened, but that wasn't me duelling back then, it was the Earthbound god. I've never actually been in a riding duel as myself; I've barely even ridden a D-wheel before."

"That would make sense," said Jack slowly. He looked upset now. "You're right, of course, Carly. I'm sorry. I didn't think of that."

"Jack, you don't need to prove yourself to me, if that's what you're worried about. You'll always be 'the King' to me. You don't need to try and convince me."

He looked angry with himself. Carly was almost amused that, even after all he had been through recently, he still tended to think only of himself; he was getting better at breaking away from that habit, but at times he slipped back into what she silently called his 'I'm the King' mode.

"I'll tell you what," she suggested, trying to cheer him up. "I'd be happy to face you in a regular duel, instead. And then, one day, you might be able to teach me how to play a riding duel."

She had definitely got his attention with that. His expression brightened.

"It's a deal. We can duel here," he said, indicating the area around them. Carly thought it might have been a plaza at some point, in old Domino City, before the Zero Reverse incident.

They got off their D-wheels and moved to face each other across the open ground. It was duel time!

* * *

**Carly LP: 4000.**

**Jack LP: 4000.**

**Duel Theme – Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos - Joey the Passion – Match Duel**

* * *

"I'll go first. And don't think I will go easy on you!" he added, smirking.

Carly didn't mind. She hadn't planned on going easy on him, either. Her smile grew when she saw Jack's smirk turn into a frown; his starting hand can't have been good.

"I'll summon Small Piece Golem in attack position," said Jack. The small rocky humanoid appeared on the field.

**Small Piece Golem – Atk 1100, Lv3.**

"With that I end my turn."

"I thought you weren't going easy?" asked Carly smugly. Jack tried to hide his frown and failed.

"My turn then. I draw."

Her hand wasn't great either. All she had that could beat his golem was White Magician Pikeru. She would have to go with that.

"I summon White Magician Pikeru in attack position," said Carly, placing the card on her duel disk. The spellcaster hologram appeared in a flash of white light.

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"Now attack his golem!" she commanded. The magician fired a bolt of holy energy from her staff, destroying Small Piece Golem and inflicting a little damage on Jack's life points.

**Jack LP: 4000 to 3900.**

"First blood to me, I guess. That's my turn over."

"Back to me then. I draw," replied Jack. He looked focused; she could see he had a plan, but what was it going to be?

* * *

Jack conceded she'd won the first exchange, but there was a long way to go yet. And he knew just how to get back on top in this duel.

"First, because you have a monster out and I don't, I can summon this without a tribute. Big Piece Golem!"

The much larger cousin of Small Piece Golem materialised on Jack's side of the field, hulking over Carly's magician.

**Big Piece Golem – Atk 2100, Lv5.**

"Next I activate Double Summon! This allows me to normal summon a second monster this turn. And I'm choosing Top Runner, in attack position!"

**Top Runner – Atk 1100, Lv4.**

The robotic runner appeared next to Jack's golem in a burst of white light. While it was a tuner monster, he had no monster he could bring out with a synchro summon quite yet. Still, both creatures could cause plenty of damage on their own.

"Now, Big Piece Golem, attack her White Magician Pikeru!" cried Jack. The golem's thick fist knocked Carly's spellcaster backwards, destroying it and damaging Carly's life points for nine hundred. And now she was wide open for his other monster.

**Carly LP: 4000 to 3100.**

"Top Runner, direct attack!"

The Top Runner struck with a fast kick, depleting more of Carly's life.

**Carly LP: 3100 to 2000.**

She was down half her points already. That would do for now. _Let's see if she can get out of this one_, he thought.

* * *

Carly admitted she should have seen that one coming. She knew Jack was no amateur duellist, and he'd proved that by coming straight back into the fight with two monsters. After those two attacks, she needed a plan and quick.

"My turn is over. Your turn," said Jack calmly.

His calm manner infuriated Carly, but she wasn't out of this yet. She would teach him a thing or two.

She drew her card, feeling slightly light-headed. It was Magical Dimension. Now she was in business; she could summon a powerful monster from her hand and destroy one of Jack's at the same time.

"I summon Fortune Lady Light, in attack position," she said, summoning her spellcaster. It appeared in a flash of yellow light.

"You remember how Fortune Ladies determine their attack and defence from their level, right?" she continued. "That puts her attack at two hundred."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk ? to 200, Lv1.**

"Her strength is too low to defeat either of my creatures," replied Jack. "So you're not using her to attack. What are you planning?"

"You're about to find out. I activate Magical Dimension! By tributing Fortune Lady Light, I can summon a spellcaster from my hand, and destroy one of your monsters. Come forth, Fortune Lady Dark!"

Fortune Lady Light transformed into a sphere of white light, which itself morphed into the purple-robed spellcaster.

"Now I get to destroy a monster. Bye bye, Big Piece Golem!"

Fortune Lady Dark aimed her staff and fired a ball of dark fire at the golem, shattering it. Jack did not look happy.

"Fortune Lady Dark's attack is her level times four hundred; since she's level five, that makes her attack two thousand. And she's going to attack your Top Runner!"

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk ? to 2000, Lv5.**

Another ball of dark fire destroyed Jack's mechanical runner and damaged his life points. He grimaced at the hit.

**Jack LP: 3900 to 3000.**

"Now I will activate Fortune Lady Dark's effect," continued Carly. "As it destroyed a monster in battle, I can bring back a Fortune Lady from my graveyard. I'll bring back Fortune Lady Light in defence position."

Fortune Lady Light reappeared next to her dark counterpart.

**Fortune Lady Light – Def ? to 200, Lv1.**

"Lastly I'll set a card. That ends my turn," finished Carly. Jack looked uncertainly at her.

"Come on! It's your turn now," she called.

"Ok then," Jack replied slowly. "I draw."

He was examining his hand for a strategy. Carly knew she had him thinking now; he wasn't going to beat her that easily. She shook her head to focus; she was still feeling light-headed, and a little dizzy.

"I will summon Power Breaker in attack position," he said, putting the card on his duel disk. The hulking warrior began to appear on the field.

"Not this turn, you won't," replied Carly, activating her trap. "I activate Bending Destiny. As all the monsters on my side of the field are Fortune Ladies, your summon gets negated."

Power Breaker's half-formed form disappeared from the field, along with Carly's trap.

"I remember that card," replied Jack. He looked worried now. "I'll set a card face down and end my turn then. Power Breaker will return to my hand, as per the effect of your trap."

It was Carly's turn again, and she knew she could win the duel in this turn. All she needed to do was summon one more monster, and she still had Card Ejector in her hand.

"Ok, my turn. First, I draw! Next, my two Fortune Ladies each go up a level; Dark to level six, giving her twenty four hundred attack, and Light to level two, giving her four hundred defence."

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk 2000 to 2400, Lv5 to 6.**

**Fortune Lady Light – Def 200 to 400, Lv1 to 2.**

She had drawn Magicians Unite. She could use it to win the duel, but he still had his facedown card. She might be better off sticking to her original strategy, summoning another monster instead and winning that way.

"I will summon Card Ejector in attack position. After that, I'll switch Fortune Lady Light into attack position."

The diminutive spellcaster appeared on the field, next to Fortune Lady Light, who herself was moving into a more aggressive stance.

**Card Ejector – Atk 400, Lv3.**

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 400, Lv2.**

"Now I can attack directly. I'll start with Fortune Lady Dark!" said Carly. The dark spellcaster obliged, sending black fire towards Jack.

"Now it's your turn to remember a card," replied Jack confidently. "I activate Changing Destiny!"

Oh yes. Carly remembered that card. It had saved both of their lives from the underworld.

"Your Fortune Lady Dark switches to defence position," Jack continued, "but you get to choose whether I take damage equal to half of its attack strength, or you gain life points equal to the same amount."

**Fortune Lady Dark – Def 2400, Lv6.**

Two doors appeared on the field before Carly; one painted red, the other blue. She now faced the choice of either damaging Jack or recovering some of her life points. Since her life was lower than Jack's for the moment, she decided to play it safe.

"Ok then. I'll choose to gain the life points," she replied. The red door disappeared and the blue door opened, before being replaced with a ball of green energy. The energy flowed into Carly, boosting her life by twelve hundred.

**Carly LP: 2000 to 3200.**

Jack looked pleased at her decision. But her turn wasn't over yet.

"I still have two monsters to attack with. They will attack you directly!"

Card Ejector and Fortune Lady Light's attacks both struck Jack, damaging his life points further. He grimaced again as each attack hit.

**Jack LP: 3000 to 2200.**

"Finally, I will activate Card Ejector's effect and remove the Top Runner in your graveyard from play. That'll end my turn," she finished. She was feeling a little better; the dizziness seemed to have passed.

She thought he must be desperate now; he had less life points than she did, and Carly could win next turn if she played this right. But Jack still looked calm and confident.

_He's in his element_, she thought. _I haven't won this yet_.

* * *

Jack hoped he looked calmer than he felt. In reality, he wasn't sure what to make of this duel.

He'd felt the sharp sting of each attack as it struck. The spells had real force behind them. Had he gone too far with his D-wheel stunt? Was this her revenge? Or was she trying to prove her power to him, for some reason?

He dismissed the idea. She wouldn't do something like this out of spite, or to prove her strength against his. He knew that she wouldn't want to hurt him if she could avoid it. And that meant…

_She can't control her power at all_, he concluded, _not even in a duel against me_.

Jack felt sympathy for her, stuck with a power she couldn't even control properly. He wished he knew how he could help her, but he was no expert on psychic duelling.

What he did know was regular duelling. Her Fortune Lady Dark would reach twenty eight hundred attack next turn. Jack needed to destroy it now, or he would likely lose unless he came up with a better strategy. It all came down to the next draw; his next card would determine whether he would win, or lose.

"My turn. I draw."

* * *

Jack was smiling at the card in his hand. Carly tried to relax and calm her nerves; the dizziness was back. What card had he drawn?

"As you have a monster out and I don't, I can special summon Vice Dragon from my hand. So I'll do just that!"

**Vice Dragon – Atk 2000 to 1000, Lv5.**

The large purple dragon appeared on the field, flexing its wings. Carly remembered the creature and that its attack and defence were halved when it was summoned in that way. She thought she could guess Jack's strategy; he was going to use it to bring out a stronger monster.

"I still haven't normal summoned yet, so I'll bring out this. Dark Tinker!"

**Dark Tinker – Atk 1000, Lv2.**

The strange six-armed creature appeared next to the dragon, clutching a variety of tools and blades in its hands. Carly knew it was a tuner monster and suddenly realised Jack's plan.

"Are you doing what I think you're doing?" she asked fearfully.

"You guessed it," he replied, smiling. "I tune my level two Dark Tinker to my level five Vice Dragon!"

The Dark Tinker disappeared, replaced by two stars, which then changed into a column of green light. It circled the Vice Dragon, transforming it.

"The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of victory, shatter the very earth! Synchro Summon! Spread your wings, Exploder Dragonwing!" chanted Jack. The enormous frill-necked dragon appeared from the column of green light.

**Exploder Dragonwing – Atk 2400, Lv7.**

Carly knew she was in big trouble. Jack's synchro monster's effect could instantly destroy any monster it battled with if the other monster had less attack power, and then deal that monster's attack strength to her as damage. And all her spellcasters were weaker than it. She was glad she had taken the life points from Changing Destiny; she would be able to survive the turn, at least.

"I'm sorry Carly, but this duel is over," said Jack confidently. "Because I'm activating this card. Megamorph!"

Red arcane symbols spun around Jack's Exploder Dragonwing, before transforming into a red aura which surrounded the dragon.

"This card doubles my monster's attack strength if I have less life points than my opponent," explained Jack. "That would give it…"

**Exploder Dragonwing – Atk 2400 to 4800.**

"Forty eight hundred attack," supplied Carly, shocked. "But why boost its attack? It won't increase the damage I'd take from its effect."

"You're correct," replied Jack. "But I never intended to use its effect. Exploder Dragonwing! Attack her Card Ejector!"

Carly stumbled backwards as the dragon's fiery attack destroyed her spellcaster and the rest of her life points.

**Carly LP: 3200 to 0.**

**Winner: Jack Atlas.**

"That was mean!" she exclaimed as the holograms disappeared, the duel over. "That was overkill, Jack."

He offered her a hand. She took it, getting to her feet.

"You did well," said Jack calmly. "You're definitely improving. But never count a duellist out. A bit more practice and you'll be a strong opponent."

"R-right," replied Carly. Her head spun and she was having trouble holding her balance. She decided to sit down and clear her head.

"Carly, are you ok?" asked Jack, now bending over her. He looked concerned.

"Just a bit dizzy. I'm sure it will pass," she replied, rubbing her head. She was already starting to feel better.

"Let's keep riding," Jack suggested. "The old highway's not far."

* * *

The highway was eerily quiet. As they spent time there, Carly found herself imagining what it would have been like years ago, when it would have been in regular use by the traffic of Domino City.

She didn't know a lot about D-wheels, but she was impressed with the one she was riding. Yusei and the others had only taken a couple of days to fix it up; that in itself was also impressive. Jack was similarly proud of the performance of the cycle.

"It's got good power, and Yusei still believes he can get more out of the battery. It's no Wheel of Fortune," he said, motioning to his own D-wheel, "but it's not bad at all."

As they made to return to Martha's house, Carly knew that something was on Jack's mind, and decided it was time to ask about it.

"Are you ok, Jack? You've been kind of quiet since the duel."

Jack looked at her sympathetically, and seemed reluctant to talk.

"I deliberately finished that duel quickly, Carly, because… because those attacks were doing real damage," he said finally.

Carly gaped at him. Real damage? As in, psychic damage?

"It's ok," he reassured her. "They were minor shocks. It's nothing serious."

"Of course it's serious!" she cried in response. "I hurt you, Jack. I can't believe I would do that!"

"It's ok, Carly. You weren't in control of what you were doing. You definitely have power inside you, and while you can't control it yet, I'm sure you will learn to. We'll talk with Aki when we get back, she'll figure out what we can do."

But Carly's thoughts had already turned back to the duel. That dizziness, that light-headed feeling. Those surges of anger.

Her psychic power was causing it. That had to be it. She would need to talk with Aki. She needed to learn to control this power, before it hurt anyone else. Before she hurt Jack any more. But what if she couldn't learn to control it? The thought terrified her.

"Jack, what if I can never control it?" she cried. "I could seriously hurt someone, maybe even kill them. It might even kill you! I can't let that happen. I can't duel again, Jack. I can't take that risk!"

"Carly, we'll find a way," said Jack calmly. "Trust me. Trust me and Aki. We'll find a way."

Carly didn't understand how he could be so calm. She could not control this power, and it scared her; it scared her half to death.

She took in a deep breath. Carly trusted Jack and believed in him, believed that he would help her control it. And she had to believe in herself that she would learn to control this power. Otherwise, the fear of what might happen would drive her crazy, and she certainly didn't want that.

Slowly, she tried to smile and nod at him. He had always given her support in times like these. He and Aki would help her learn to control it.

Anxious to take her mind off it, Carly tried to think about the D-wheel she was riding. She had to admit that Jack was right about one thing; the D-wheel was different from her car, but in a good way. She could feel the rush of the wind in her hair as she drove, and it was easier to handle as it was a smaller vehicle.

In a way, it was like her power; it was something Carly would have to learn to control. Jack had liked living in the fast lane; maybe, once she learnt to control her power and the bike, she could grow to like it herself.


	13. Chapter 13 - The Serpent

A/N: This chapter was originally called 'The Spider', but after going back through the story the title no longer felt appropriate, so I changed it. The chapter itself is the same, pretty much; it's only the title which has been greatly changed. I apologise for any confusion over this; I wish I had established this before publishing the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 13: The Serpent

* * *

The sun shone through the treetops of the Ancient Forest.

Ruka did not remember it being so quiet when she had come here last. The forest looked as beautiful as she remembered it, but it seemed to be unusually empty of wildlife. She had walked through the forest for a while, looking for Kuribon, or Ancient Fairy Dragon, or any other spirits who might be here, but she had found nothing except more trees.

The forest seemed to go on forever. She looked around anxiously, but she saw no birds, animals, or anyone else; just ancient trees in all directions.

"Kuribon? Ancient Fairy Dragon? Regulus? Are you here?" she called. She was met with silence.

Ruka sat down on the grass to think. Where were her friends? Where were all the others that lived here?

"Ruka," said a voice behind her. She jumped, startled, and turned around. She was greeted by a familiar leonine form.

"Regulus!" she exclaimed happily. She had not heard him approach.

"It is good to see you, Ruka, but you must be more careful," he replied, shaking his thick orange mane. "The forest has become dangerous. It is not safe to wander."

Ruka looked at Regulus, concerned. The forest was dangerous?

"How is it dangerous?" she asked. "I thought the magic of the forest kept the peace here?"

"A shadow has fallen over the forest," he replied sadly. "The magic has been disrupted and it can no longer shelter us. Many of the spirits here have already fled; the few that remain are trying to stop this shadow however we can."

Ruka could not understand what could threaten such a peaceful forest. Unless…

"Is that man back?" she asked, thinking of Professor Frank, who had tried to take over the forest during the Fortune Cup. "Has he harmed the forest again?"

"No," said a different voice, above her. Ruka looked up into the eyes of Ancient Fairy Dragon as she descended from the treetops.

"It is not him," the sinuous dragon continued. "The forest is resilient, and recovered quickly from his touch. No, this is a deeper corruption. Something has invaded the forest's heart and is eating away at the trees, draining them of their life energy."

"But what could be causing it?" asked Ruka.

"I do not know for sure, but it is truly ancient, more so than myself or this forest. It almost feels familiar to me, somehow, though I do not know from where."

"But we've seen the effects of it clearly enough," added Regulus. "Some creatures have been taken by whatever it is and twisted into hideous beings. Even the fairies are not immune. They are spreading the corruption out even further into the forest."

Ruka trembled at the news. The forest was fighting for its survival; and by the sounds of it, it was losing.

"What can we do?" she asked. She had to do something; she had sworn to protect this place.

"We will continue to do what we can to hold back this shadow," replied Ancient Fairy Dragon, stretching her thin wings. "But we need your help. The source of the corruption is not something of the spirit world; it is somehow originating from your world."

Ruka shivered. In her world? What in her world could be causing this?

"I am sorry, Ruka, I cannot aid you more," she continued. "But only you can save us from this, you and your friends. If you cannot stop the source of this corruption, I fear this forest and its inhabitants will meet its end."

"But how can I stop it?" asked Ruka desperately. "I don't even know where to begin to look!"

Ancient Fairy Dragon's and Regulus' forms were beginning to fade.

"We cannot delay, Ruka. We must return to the forest's heart," said the dragon sadly. "Please, help us, Ruka."

"Wait!" she cried. "What do I do?"

But her two friends had already disappeared. Ruka sunk to her knees in the grass. What was it that was corrupting the forest? How was it supposedly coming from her world? And why was she the only one who could stop it?

"Watch your friends, Ruka," echoed Ancient Fairy Dragon's voice through the trees. "They are threatened by this, as we are. Watch out for them."

* * *

Ruka continued to walk through the silent forest as she struggled to understand the dragon's words. She wondered if Ancient Fairy Dragon meant the other Signers. Were they in danger from this, too?

Just then something small and furry nuzzled under her arm.

"Kuribon!" she exclaimed. "Am I glad to see you!"

The fairy made a contented purring sound, happy to see her close friend again. Ruka felt the same; she had not seen Kuribon in her own world for several days. She must have been running away from whatever was attacking the forest.

She sighed. If the danger was out in the human world, Ruka knew she couldn't stay here; she needed to warn the others.

She closed her eyes, and began to focus on returning to her own world, when she felt a presence nearby. She only felt it for a moment, but it felt dark, and alien. Ruka opened her eyes and looked around, but she saw nothing. She closed her eyes and tried again to return to her own world.

That's when she felt the presence again, right in front of her. She opened her eyes.

Towering over the treetops was a creature seemingly made of pure darkness; it seemed without substance, the way its body passed straight through a couple of the trees. It had no identifying features, but its large body and lack of legs made it look like some sort of snake. She could sense it wasn't a real being; it represented something not of this world, but Ruka could not tell what; only that it was intent on harm.

Suddenly it reared up into a threatening position. Ruka threw her arms up to defend herself, screaming, as it struck down towards her.

* * *

She sat bolt upright in her bed. Her scream still echoed in her ears, and she felt faint and breathless, but she was awake.

She was back in the room in Martha's that she shared with her twin brother Rua. It was dark; Ruka guessed it was the middle of the night. There was enough moonlight that she could see Rua, who was also sitting up in his own bed, looking over at her. He looked worried.

"Are you ok, Ruka?" he asked her quietly. "Was it another bad dream?"

She looked at him, wondering how much to reveal about her experience. It had been a dream like the ones she'd had back when they were fighting the Dark Signers. A dream of warning.

"I was talking to Ancient Fairy Dragon and Regulus," she said finally. "Something is happening in the Ancient Forest; something is corrupting it, turning it evil."

"Is it the Dark Signers?" asked Rua. "Are they back?"

"No, this is something else. Ancient Fairy Dragon said it was something even older than her."

Rua looked back at her.

"Are they in trouble?" he asked.

"Yes. She said they needed the help of the Signers to save the forest."

"You'd better tell Yusei and the others tomorrow then," he suggested. "See what they think of it."

Ruka nodded.

"I'm going back to sleep," said Rua. "Will you be ok?"

She nodded again in reply, to which he responded by dropping back on his pillow. She decided sleep was best for her too, right now. In the morning she could tell Yusei and the others about what she had seen.

_What is affecting the forest_, she thought as she tried to sleep. _How is it coming from our world? And what was that dark presence?_

* * *

"So she said this involves all the Signers?" asked Yusei as they sat around the dining table. Ruka nodded.

"Somehow, whatever is corrupting the Ancient Forest is doing it from this world," she explained. "But we are in danger from what is harming it as well."

"Well, whatever it is, we'll beat it," said Rua confidently. "After the Dark Signers, nothing can stop us!"

Ruka was glad for her brother's enthusiasm, but she knew it wasn't going to be that easy.

"We don't have a lot of information to go on," she said, trying to calm him down. "We need to find out what is causing this, first."

"I wish I had an idea where we could start looking," said Crow. "But we don't know what we're looking for, or even whether this source is in Satellite or the city."

"I know," replied Ruka. "I wish I knew more, but all I know is what Ancient Fairy Dragon told me."

She hesitated before continuing. She had only just noticed it this morning, but they couldn't overlook anything at this stage.

"I can feel something isn't right. Just now, I can feel a sense of… wrongness, is all I can call it. But I think we are all in danger from it. Every one of us."

Ruka looked around the table. The Signers were all there, Yusei, Aki, Rua. Jack and Crow.

"Everyone," she repeated gravely.

* * *

Carly wasn't sure what to make of the whole thing, as people began to get up from the table.

Ruka could talk to duel monster spirits and apparently visit their worlds. Carly could accept that; she had come to understand recently that there was a lot of strange stuff happening in the world she didn't know before. This vision she had had just seemed like a strange dream to Carly; but the others seemed to take it seriously enough, so maybe there was more to it than just being a dream.

But, of course, it hadn't just been Ruka who'd been having strange dreams recently. Carly shuddered as she remembered her own dreams from over a week ago, before she had arrived here in Satellite. They hadn't been mere dreams, but memories of dark times finally returning to her.

To make any sort of judgment about this dream, she needed more information, and to get that she knew the best approach to take; ask Ruka herself what she thought of this dream of hers, and what it meant.

Carly left the house, looking for Ruka. The girl was sitting outside, enjoying the nice weather. The last few days had been overcast and dull, but at least the sun was out now.

"Ruka?" asked Carly as she sat down beside the girl. Ruka looked back at her, smiling.

"Hi, Carly."

Carly got straight to the point.

"Are you sure about this warning thing?" she asked. "It's not just some strange dream you've had?"

"I'm sure," replied Ruka, without hesitation. "I've had these sorts of visions before. The forest really is in danger, and Ancient Fairy Dragon really does need our help."

Carly took a deep breath and tried to keep the frown from her face. _I wish I knew more about this girl_, she thought. She still didn't feel convinced, but Ruka certainly believed the threat was real, and the others seemed to accept her word. They knew her better than Carly did; again, she wondered if maybe she should take the vision more seriously as well.

"So somehow we need to find whatever's causing this and stop them, or the forest will die?"

"Yes. I just wish they had been able to tell me more," said Ruka sadly. "I don't know where to begin looking."

Carly knew that feeling. There had been plenty of times where she had not known where to start searching for ideas. What she did know was that, to find a scoop, sometimes you had to go out digging, and hope that what you turn up is worth something.

"I think all we can do is go out and see what we can find," she suggested to Ruka, trying to be cheerful. "We'll turn up something we can use, I'm sure!"

"Maybe you're right," the girl replied. Carly felt a little relief that they at least had somewhere to start. But Ruka hadn't finished speaking.

"Carly, please be careful," she said quietly. "I thought at first this was about the Signers, but I think now it's about more than that. You're involved in this, too. I don't know how, it's just another feeling; but I trust my feelings, and I feel you are in more danger than the rest of us."

In more danger? Than the Signers? Carly wasn't sure how to react to that idea.

"Are you sure? No wait, don't answer that," she said with a sigh before Ruka could reply. "You wouldn't say so unless you were sure, right? Still, I don't see how I could be in greater danger from this than all of you."

Ruka said nothing, but she looked sympathetically at Carly.

_What could be more dangerous at the moment than being a Signer_, Carly thought doubtfully. Or is that why she was in more danger? Because she wasn't a Signer?

It didn't make sense. She didn't think she was going to get any more answers out of Ruka, either. Maybe it was time to get back to what she knew best; reporting. That would help her take her mind off things.

Patting Ruka on the shoulder, Carly got up and headed back into the house. She still had that interview with Jack to prepare for; that would be more than enough to keep her busy.

* * *

"They are ready," said the black-robed girl. Divine looked up from the report.

"Send them out," he ordered. The woman nodded, leaving the office through the still-ruined door.

He looked over the figures again. There had been a good number of potentials here; with the right equipment and 'education', he would eventually have the numbers he desired. More than enough, now that Godwin was gone.

Soon he could move to the next stage of his plan. That part would be challenging, but he knew it would also be a satisfying challenge. His top student had fallen far, but Divine knew she could be restored to virtue with sufficient encouragement.

_Soon_, he thought. _Soon, Aki, you will be mine again_.

* * *

"What did you say?" asked Jaeger angrily through his video link. "Are you sure?"

"That's what I reported," replied Ushio stiffly. He had never particularly liked the clown-faced assistant to Godwin, especially now that he was in the director's role after Godwin's death. But he was still Ushio's boss.

"The security patrol I sent in barely made it past the main gates," he continued. "He's got psychics and worse in there. But they're making no move to leave the complex; I believe we can maintain this perimeter indefinitely."

"And if he decides he's had enough of prison?" replied Jaeger snidely. "What then? Psychic duellists versus the Keystone Cops?"

That was enough to break his patience. Ushio was still Chief of Security. He would not be talked to like this, even by his boss.

"We will commit ourselves to keeping him contained, _Assistant Jaeger_," he seethed. "With whatever means necessary."

Jaeger grimaced at him as Ushio cut the link. He would have to deal with this himself, it seemed. He and Sector Security's finest.

"Sir!" one of his sergeants reported to him. "Somebody is leaving the compound!"

Ushio looked over to where the man was pointing. There were two men heading out of the main gates of the prison. They were dressed in unkempt teal uniforms and had familiar features, and both were wearing duel disks. Ushio recognised the uniform instantly.

"Those are our men!" he exclaimed.

The two security officers had wide eyes and vacant expressions as they activated their duel disks.

"Duel," they moaned together to the assembled Security members.

_He's done something to them_, Ushio thought. They were slaves to him now, just like the others.

Ushio marched to the front of the perimeter, activating his own duel disk. He would show that clown-face that Sector Security could handle the problem.


	14. Chapter 14 - Jack's Interview

Chapter 14: Jack's Interview

* * *

Carly stared out of the orphanage window blankly as her thoughts raced.

She hadn't expected working on the interview with Jack would be this difficult. She knew what he would probably be willing to talk about and what he wouldn't, and how he would probably react to certain questions.

Carly didn't want to ask him too much about the more sensitive events of his life; she cared too much for him to do that. She knew Henshucho would want her to ask him about those events, though. Maybe this was one of her weaknesses, being afraid to ask the hard questions. If she didn't ask them, if she respected Jack's right to privacy about the harsher events of his life, would the interview be worthless to her boss? Could a poor interview hold her back in her career?

But if she did ask them, would she upset Jack? Carly knew how easy it was for his pride to be hurt.

No, she wouldn't accept that. Her list of questions was fine; there was nothing wrong with it.

But her questions weren't her only concern; what if Jack wasn't willing to share as much as she thought?

"I'm willing to share more than you might think," said Jack as he entered the room. Carly jumped. She hadn't realised she'd spoken that last bit aloud.

"Why are you so worried about this?" he continued. "I said I'd share everything."

"I'm afraid I'll hurt you, Jack," she replied quietly. "I want to believe you when you say you'll share everything, but some things I still don't feel very comfortable talking about. And I'm worried that might affect the quality of the interview for my boss."

Jack was silent for a moment, before smiling at her.

"Now it's my turn to remind you of that time on the tower. Remember what I said? I said, 'write what you want about me'. And I mean that. I don't feel the need to hide any longer. I don't care about how your boss or your readers will react. Anything you want to ask me, go ahead."

Carly nodded slowly, feeling a little reassured at his words. She sighed inwardly; she would be glad to get this interview done. The week since their duel had been an ordeal. Carly had spent a lot of time with Aki in an attempt to exert some control over her powers, but they hadn't got anywhere. Drawing her fortune hadn't improved her mood either; she hadn't had a good fortune since she'd become a Dark Signer.

Carly thought back to the duel a week ago, and shuddered as she remembered Jack flinching with each hit of her monsters. She had to learn to control her power, before it hurt him again, or anyone else.

"Carly?" prompted Jack.

Carly returned her attention to the present. There was time for dealing with that later; it was interview time, now.

"Ok Jack, let's get started. I'll try not to hold back in questions."

She produced a voice recorder, notepad and pen from her work bag. All the items were part of her standard journalist's kit; she never left home unprepared.

Carly looked at Jack briefly before taking a deep breath. _Here we go_, she thought.

* * *

Jack watched as Carly took a deep breath and switched on the recorder.

"This is Carly Nagisa, reporting from Satellite," she began, speaking clearly. "I'm here with the former King of Neo Domino City himself, Jack Atlas, who has agreed to an interview."

She took another pause before asking her first question.

"So, Mr Atlas, just to confirm you are the former King of Neo Domino, am I correct?"

Jack felt himself flinch instinctively at the remark, but remained composed.

"I suppose that is correct," he replied. Carly was writing the transcript of their interview on the notepad as he spoke.

"Ever since your loss to Yusei Fudo at the Fortune Cup," she asked him, "you've been keeping out of the spotlight. What have you been doing?"

Jack considered how he would reply, before deciding to go with a sympathetic answer.

"I've been spending time with close friends back home, and reflecting on my loss," he answered. "It affected me much more than I expected, and it took me some time to deal with it. But I have moved on from that now. I can thank a number of people for helping me get past that defeat and put it behind me, and I'm resolved to coming back to duelling to reclaim my title."

Carly was scribbling furiously on the notepad. Her next question came while she was still writing.

"Many rumours and stories are floating around alleging that you are from the Satellite. Can you confirm this rumour?"

Jack had expected this question, but a part of him still dreaded it. He knew Carly well enough to see that she was making an effort to keep her voice clear; it was one of the questions she had been dreading as well. People in the city wouldn't be happy to find the two Fortune Cup finalists were in fact _both_ from Satellite, but he had promised Carly he wasn't going to be bothered by what other people thought.

He decided to keep his answer short and sweet.

"I can."

"So you lived in the city for two years before your defeat," she asked, "but all this time you were from the Satellite?"

"Yes."

* * *

Carly paused for a moment to consider her next question. She was glad Jack had answered the questions about his origin simply and calmly.

"What motivated you to come from Satellite into the city?" she asked.

"I received an offer to come to the city and become a professional riding duellist," Jack replied. "At the time I believed I had no future in Satellite, so I accepted."

"Who gave you this offer?"

Carly wondered how he would answer.

"Director Godwin, of the Public Maintenance Security Bureau," was Jack's reply.

"You received the offer from the former head of Sector Security himself?" she asked. Keeping her voice steady was taking an effort.

"Yes."

"Do you know why he gave you this offer?"

Jack considered his answer for a moment before speaking.

"I believe he saw my duelling ability and saw a chance to use me to improve his public image," he eventually replied. "He transformed me into the King, a riding duellist sponsored by the city that duelled to entertain the people, and used that image to boost his own popularity. How he learnt of me in Satellite, I do not know."

Carly knew that wasn't the real reason, but she knew people would probably accept his apparent ignorance. It was better than saying it was part of Godwin's plan to gather the Signers, after all.

"Do you believe he helped you hide your origin?" she asked.

"Yes," Jack replied. "I knew the stigma in the city on people who come from Satellite, so I played along and never revealed my origin."

Carly wrote Jack's answer in her own shorthand as she prepared her next question, but as she began to ask it – about what had happened immediately after the Fortune Cup, when he had been put into hospital to recover from his injuries – she decided to leave it out. The events were just too personal for her to talk about, and besides, she didn't have a good excuse for what _really_ happened at the hospital.

Taking another deep breath, she moved on to the question after.

* * *

Jack knew that look from Carly. She was feeling uncomfortable about the question she was about to ask.

"What are your thoughts on the two years you spent in the city? I believe you were unbeaten in duels in that time, until you faced Yusei?"

_Yes_, he thought, _that was definitely not the question she was going to ask_.

"I was indeed undefeated for those two years," he replied. "I enjoyed my time in the city; I enjoyed being in the spotlight and entertaining the fans, and having exciting duels, but..."

Jack hesitated before continuing his answer. He had been thinking about this matter over the last few days, since their trip around Satellite.

"But I know now that for those two years, I was really just a part of Godwin's plan to further his own image. I remember the lights and sounds of the arena, and the cheers of the fans, but it was all Godwin's doing, and it leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth now. I hope when I make my comeback, I can enjoy it again, on my own terms."

Carly looked sadly at him as she considered her next question. Jack knew that his memories of his time as King would always be tainted by the knowledge he was simply working to Godwin's plan. It still caused him no end of frustration.

"What was it like growing up in Satellite? What sort of challenges did you have to face?"

Jack frowned. He felt she was jumping around a bit with her questions, moving from one topic to another too quickly. Surely she had to be aware of it, too. But she had asked her question, and he had to decide how to reply.

"Well, I grew up as an orphan," he began, "and it was of course a struggle living on the streets, especially here. There are plenty of good people around in Satellite, those that will help you and look out for you, but there's plenty that see you as a potential target as well. I just tried my best to avoid those people and help out the good ones, really."

Carly looked happy with his answer.

"As a Satellite native, with the building of the Daedalus Bridge now underway, what are your thoughts on how the bridge will affect the relationship between Satellite and Neo Domino City?"

"It'll be a chance for the people of Satellite to show that they are more capable than many in the city give them credit for," he answered. "Myself and Yusei have already gone some way to proving that with our efforts in the Fortune Cup, and now many other people, not just duellists, will get the chance to do so as well. I believe the two communities will grow closer to each other, but it will take some time to get past old feelings."

From the look she gave him, Jack knew Carly had picked up on his reference to Yusei. Both of them knew he hadn't been born in Satellite, but Jack knew that Yusei's fate had been determined by Zero Reverse. He couldn't talk about that, so he'd have to pretend Yusei came from Satellite for now, just like he did.

"So what is next for you? Where do you go from here?" asked Carly.

"Well, obviously I need to get my title back from Yusei!" he replied earnestly. "After that, we will see. I still enjoy riding duels and believe I can make a professional career out of duelling, but I will do it on my own merits this time, and I will not hide who I am or where I'm from. I'm going to go out and prove how good a King I can be!"

Carly smiled at his answer.

"Thanks you, Mr Atlas. That was Jack Atlas speaking, and this is Carly Nagisa signing out from Satellite."

With that, she switched off the recorder.

"That's it?" asked Jack.

"Yes," replied Carly. "I hope that will be good enough for him."

"There was a question you didn't ask," he said bluntly. Carly looked back at him sadly.

"It was about what happened just after the Fortune Cup, when you were in hospital. I…I didn't want to talk about that. We'd have to somehow explain what happened in the hospital, and how it was so badly damaged."

She fell silent, fiddling with the notepad awkwardly. Jack thought she bought up a decent point, but guessed that wasn't the only reason she hadn't asked that question. He decided that, now that the interview was over, to ask a question of his own.

"What's bothering you, Carly? You've been brooding for several days, and I never took you for the brooding type. What's up?"

She looked back at him, smiling nervously.

"Well, everything," she eventually replied. "I'm worried about everything. I'm worried about how the interview will work out. I'm worried about Ruka's warning and this danger we all face that we still know nothing about. Most of all, I'm frightened by this power of mine and how I can't control it."

She lowered her head. "What's going to happen to me? To us? Will I ever be able to duel again? Will I lose control, like Aki did? Will I hurt or maybe even kill somebody? I can't stop thinking of what might happen, Jack, and it scares me!"

Her last words almost came out as a whisper. Jack could tell she was trying to open up to him, but at the same time trying to keep the worries bottled up inside her. This wasn't like her, to not talk about her concerns; she normally was very open about them. She reminded him of a powder keg, ready to explode.

"None of that is going to happen, Carly," he said, trying to reassure her. "I'm here. We're all here. Whatever happens will happen to all of us. You'll learn to control it, I'm sure. We're all dealing with the uncertainty too, so don't brood about it. Keep sharing your feelings with us."

He gave her a smile of encouragement. Carly looked back at him, considering, before finally nodding and returning the smile.

"You're right. Of course you're right. Thanks, Jack. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not alone in this. It's just, everything's been weighing on my mind so much lately. You're right though; I never used to be the sort to bottle up my fears. Why did I start doing that?"

"People change," replied Jack simply. "A lot has happened, and it's changed us, all of us. Even I've changed, though I don't think I've changed much."

"You've changed more than you think, you know," she laughed. "You care a lot more for other people than you did when I first met you."

Jack nodded in response. "Maybe you're right."

"Well I guess I had better look this over and send it through to Ushio," she said, standing up from the table. "Thank you for letting me interview you, Jack."

"It took a bit longer than you expected to get that interview, didn't it?" he joked, still trying to cheer her up. Carly laughed again, nodding; from the moment she'd met him, she hadn't left him alone in trying to get her scoop.

"Thank you, Jack," she repeated. "I don't know how I'd get through this without your support."

"Don't mention it. Tell you what; after you send that through, let's go for a ride and blow off some steam on the old highway."

"Sure thing."

As Carly went to transmit her article, Jack left the house, still wondering what she found so hard to ask him.

* * *

Carly initiated the video link to the city. The connection process finished quickly and Ushio's face appeared on the laptop.

"Hello, Carly," said Ushio. "Another article for your newspaper is it?"

"That's right," Carly smiled at him. "This time it's an interview with the former King himself, Jack Atlas!"

Ushio grinned in response. "Hah, that must have been interesting! If only I was a fly on the wall for that!"

"It was actually quite calm," said Carly, as she sent the item across the data link. "Not as volatile as you might think."

"Well that's good news. So how is everyone? Martha and the others ok?"

"They're doing fine," replied Carly. "How about things in the city?"

"Oh, the usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Still no new director though; Jaeger is still in charge."

The transmission completed and Ushio looked briefly over the interview transcript. "Ok, good, I'll send it through. I look forward to reading it sometime—"

He stopped, looking down at something. Carly thought she could hear a faint ringing sound from his end. Was someone else calling him?

"What is it?" she asked.

"Urgent call coming through from the Facility," supplied Ushio, looking concerned. "I had better take this. Sorry, Carly."

"Ok then, I'll end call here. Thanks again, Ushio."

Carly cut the call. She hoped that the interview would be good enough for her boss.

Now that it was finished, she could start on her next article. She had been asking Martha questions about her own life in Satellite, but Martha was a tough customer and hadn't been keen on an interview. Eventually Carly had settled on just a few questions to ask and Martha had agreed to answer them; but to get a better idea of how her life had influenced other people, she'd need to ask around some more.

But there would be time for that later; it was time to go riding with Jack. He always managed to find ways to keep her distracted, for which she was thankful. He was right about her brooding; she never used to do that.

_And I won't do that anymore, _she resolved_. They're my friends, and I can trust them with my concerns._

Carly left the orphanage and headed to the garage where they kept their D-wheels. It was time to leave her worries behind for now, and enjoy the thrill of their highway ride.


	15. Chapter 15 - Storm

Chapter 15: Storm

* * *

"Go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Absolute Power Force!"

The red dragon's fiery fist demolished Rua's Power Tool Dragon and the last of his life points, knocking him off his feet.

"The win is mine," smiled Jack.

"Oww!" complained Rua. "No fair! I almost had you there!"

"I don't think so," said Jack with a straight face, as the duel holograms disappeared from the empty lot they were duelling in.

"Did so!" shot back Rua. "Next turn I would have used Double Tool C&amp;D and destroyed your monster!"

Jack simply smiled and showed the last remaining card in his hand.

"Synchro Reflector!" said Rua, dejected. "Oh, man. With that you could have destroyed Power Tool Dragon anyway."

"It was a good duel, though," Jack reassured him. "Keep practising and I think you'll have a real shot at pro duelling one day."

Rua brightened at that. "Thanks, Jack! One day I'll be definitely good enough to go pro!"

Carly smiled at the two of them from the sidelines. Both of them had a real passion for duelling; _almost bordering on obsession_, she thought. She had come across a few people like that in the city, from when she had covered street duels. Carly believed Jack when he said he would challenge Yusei for his title one day, and she expected Rua to be hot on their heels in a few more years after that.

She heard a D-wheel approaching from behind and turned to see who it was. It was Crow, on his Blackbird cycle, and he looked concerned.

"A storm is on its way," he informed them. "Coming up from the south. It'll be here in about an hour. It looks a pretty serious one."

"We'd better head back to Martha's, then," suggested Jack. "We can wait it out there."

* * *

As they headed back to the orphanage, Jack explained to Carly about how storms were a problem for Satellite.

"There's very little warning, of course," he was saying. "For us, Martha's is a pretty good place to stay, but for many in Satellite they don't have that luxury. Finding waterproof shelter is often difficult, and occasionally the streets have become flooded."

"I suppose you don't tend to get weather forecasts out here, huh?" asked Carly sadly.

Jack shook his head. "There are a few people who try to work on it, but no, we don't tend to rely on them."

"The only _reliable_ form of weather forecast here involves using two eyes!" added Crow testily.

It was yet another thing about Satellite that she hadn't planned for. How bad would this storm get, and how long would it last?

Perhaps it was best that she didn't tell them she had drawn Heavy Storm as her fortune that morning.

"Yusei is still over at the subway, isn't he?" she asked.

"Yes, but I've just let him know about the incoming storm," replied Crow. "He'll get back before it arrives."

As they arrived back at the orphanage, Martha was standing outside with Aki and Ruka.

"Back to wait out the storm, right?" she asked with a grin. "You have sharp eyes, Crow, but I can feel a change in the weather in these old bones."

"Oh, right," Crow replied, nodding. "I let Yusei know; he should be on his way back now."

Martha lost her grin as they went inside. "Good. He had better get back soon, because I have a feeling this storm will be pretty bad."

"Another duel, Jack!" said Rua. "While the weather keeps us indoors!"

"You know there won't be enough room to duel inside, right?" asked Ruka doubtfully.

"Actually, I have an old duel mat somewhere for just these sorts of occasions. It comes in handy when dealing with kids stuck indoors during storms," laughed Martha.

"I remember that mat," said Jack as he laughed as well. "Old school duelling, but it works for me."

Carly shared an amused look with Aki as they entered the house. At least she would have plenty of company while they waited the storm out.

* * *

Yusei sped through the rain back in the direction of the orphanage.

He always enjoyed visiting Rally and the others. They didn't visit Martha's much; they preferred to stay back in the old subway. Yusei was happy to visit them there when he could. He had plenty of good memories of his time staying there.

_Rally will be one of the best duellists in Satellite one day_, he thought. He was getting better with each visit. Today Rally had nearly beaten him; if he hadn't drawn Junk Synchron at the right time, he would have. And Yusei knew that, after Rally beat him, he would go after Jack.

Thinking of Jack, Yusei smiled. Ever since that interview, he and Carly had been racing each other. They had worked on the D-wheel frame Jack had found in the scrapyard until it was fully roadworthy, and those two had taken it out that same day. He seemed happier than he had known him in a long time, because of Carly, and Yusei was glad for that.

The wind had picked up substantially, and the rain had already become torrential. This storm was moving in quicker than he had expected. _I'd better hurry and get to Martha's_, he thought.

Even in his hurry, Yusei made sure to keep an eye out for any unusual happenings while he was on his way back to the orphanage. The others had also been looking for anything out of the ordinary in their travels. They didn't know what it was they were looking for, but Yusei trusted in Ruka's warning and knew that they had to be patient. Sooner or later, they'd get a lead.

There was a screech of tyres from down the street to Yusei's right, followed by a loud crash.

He pulled back and stopped at the entrance to the street. It sounded like a vehicle accident of some sort. They weren't common in Satellite these days, and chances were that meant a D-wheel was involved. He should get back before the storm really settled in, but first he had better take a look and make sure nobody was seriously hurt.

Yusei turned his cycle and headed down the street towards the crash.

* * *

"I win again," smiled Jack.

"Oh man!" cried Rua, as his Power Tool Dragon was destroyed again. "What's wrong with me today?"

"You're too eager to attack," replied Jack. "Sometimes you have to wait for the right moment, and only then push your advantage to win."

Carly smiled at the irony of Jack's advice.

"I never expected you to be teaching someone patience," she joked at him. "You never seemed a patient guy."

Jack laughed in response. "Well, I'm more complicated than you think!"

"Another?" asked Rua. Jack nodded, and they set up for another game.

"It's getting pretty bad out there, already," said Aki, looking out the window. "I hope Yusei hasn't been caught in it."

Carly stared out the window with her at the pouring rain. They were pretty bad riding conditions, all right. Hopefully Yusei would be back soon.

* * *

It was definitely a D-wheel accident, Yusei realised. The rider had collided with the side of a building at some speed, and the cycle itself was a crumpled mass of blue-painted metal. Yusei could even see the tyre marks on the soaked ground where the wheels had lost their grip on the roadway.

From what he could see of the crashed D-wheel, there seemed something familiar about it, but Yusei couldn't put his finger on it. The wheel was a wreck anyway; it looked far too damaged to repair, so he had no idea whose it was. But where was the rider?

A dull groan from a nearby pile of trash answered his question. Yusei hurried over to see if the rider was injured. _He might be lucky to be alive, after that impact_, he thought.

The rider had no helmet, so Yusei could immediately see who it was. He fought the urge to recoil in shock as he recognised him. The last time he had met this person, it had been under very different circumstances.

He'd had to watch him die.

"Kiryu?"

* * *

Crow was surprised that Yusei hadn't returned yet; the rain was pretty bad. Had something happened to him?

"I'm going out to look for him," he said to Martha. "Just in case something's happened."

"Ok, but be careful!" she warned him. "The weather's only going to get worse!"

Crow nodded before running to his D-wheel.

_I know I'm not the only Signer frustrated at the moment_, he thought as he headed out into the streets. He and Yusei had been going on rides around Satellite for the last few days to see if they could spot any unusual goings on, but they had seen nothing of note; just the regular day to day activities common to Satellite. Crow couldn't help but wonder if Ruka's warning vision was just a bad dream. He still didn't know the girl very well, but he knew that Yusei believed in her, so Crow Hogan was going to trust in her as well. And now this storm had moved in quicker than he expected, and Martha believed it would linger. Hopefully it wouldn't stay too long, so they could get back to the hunt.

The intercom on his D-wheel chimed. Crow took the call. It was Yusei. He looked very concerned.

"Crow, I'm not far from the old factory," said Yusei. "I need your help. There's been a D-wheel crash, and Kiryu is injured."

"Wait, did you say Kiryu?" asked Crow. Yusei simply nodded, looking grim.

"I'll be there shortly," said Crow, ending the call.

Was it really Kiryu? He hadn't been seen since the Dark Signers conflict. Was it really him? Or was Yusei seeing ghosts?

Turning his D-wheel in the direction of the old factory, Crow opened the throttle as far as it would go.

* * *

Jack thought again about the interview he'd had with Carly.

Even though it was over a week ago now, he still thought about it. He was generally happy about how it had gone. He had no concerns in revealing how he had been manipulated by Godwin, and he had also been honest about how he had enjoyed his time in the city; the duels, the lights, the sounds of the stadium.

But Jack still resented how Godwin had controlled him for those two years. He wasn't about to let himself be manipulated like that again.

"I hope this storm passes quickly," said Carly. "I was just starting to get the hang of riding!"

Jack smiled. As he'd suspected – and hoped – Carly had taken quickly to D-wheel riding. After another couple of days of tinkering her D-wheel was running pretty well, and they'd gone out every day since. And Jack was sure that she remembered more about riding from that duel they'd had by the hummingbird tower than she realised.

_I had never expected to be in this position_, he mused. Being able to ride with her now was something he looked forward to more and more. Soon he might have to add training her in riding duelling to the activities for them to do. Or maybe it was too early for that. Maybe it was better to wait until she was a confident rider first, before trying a riding duel. _Yes_, he thought, _that would definitely have to come later_.

"Yusei and Crow are back!" called Aki from the window. Jack nodded, getting up from his chair. He was glad they were back; they'd been gone a long time.

That's when he noticed that they weren't alone; they were carrying somebody.

Yusei and Crow hurried into the house, both of them holding up a blue-haired man between them. The man was unconscious, except for an occasional groan of pain.

"Who is that? Jack?" Aki was asking.

Jack knew she could see the shock on his face. He knew this man. He knew him very well.

* * *

Carly came over to stand next to Jack. He looked troubled.

"Jack, is that…" she began hesitantly. Jack nodded.

"Kiryu Kyosuke," he replied flatly.

Carly remembered the name. Kiryu was Jack's friend from years ago. But why was he here? What had happened to him?


	16. Chapter 16 - The Road

Chapter 16: The Road

* * *

"He took a nasty blow to the head, and a couple of serious sprains on his left arm and ankle, but thankfully he has no fractures," explained Doctor Schmitt. "Keep applying the ice bandage, and keep the ankle raised. It'll probably take a few weeks, but he should make a full recovery."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Martha. "And thank you again, for coming out in such terrible weather."

The doctor bade them farewell and left.

They had moved Kiryu into the bedroom at the rear of the orphanage. To Jack, it seemed like his former friend had been through worse than just a D-wheel accident; his clothes were torn and bloodstained, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was a mess. Jack saw he also had a criminal mark now, down the right side of his face. He looked nearly unrecognisable, nothing like the Kiryu who had been part of Team Satisfaction all those years ago.

Kiryu groaned again. He was starting to stir.

"Kiryu? Kiryu, can you hear me?" asked Yusei.

Kiryu's eyes fluttered open.

"Yu…sei?"

"Yes, it's me, Yusei," he replied.

Kiryu's head slowly turned towards him, eyes widening at the sight of his former friend.

"Kiryu, you're going to be ok," Yusei reassured him. "No serious injuries, nothing that won't heal up in a few weeks."

"A few… weeks?" Kiryu uttered slowly, trying to process what Yusei was saying. He tried to sit up, but fell back on the bed with a grunt of pain.

"I…have to… leave," he mumbled, struggling to find the words.

"Leave? What are you talking about?" demanded Martha. "You're not going anywhere like that. You sprained your ankle pretty badly. You won't even be able to put weight on it at the moment, let alone walk on it."

Kiryu tried to sit up again, this time managing to move into a sitting position.

"No…I…must go," he insisted. "I...I must."

Kiryu slowly moved his legs off the bed and tried to stand up, but his ankle could not hold his weight. He fell back on the bed with a cry.

"I don't believe this!" yelled Martha. "I've dealt with plenty of stubborn boys in my time, but you have got to be one of the worst! You are staying in that bed until you are well and that's the end of it!"

She stalked out of the room as Kiryu lay back on the bed, clutching his sprained arm. He looked despondent.

"Kiryu? Kiryu, it's ok," Yusei was saying, trying to calm him down. "You'll be ok once your ankle and arm heal."

Kiryu did not reply, merely staring out the window and continuing to cradle his injured arm almost protectively. Jack thought he seemed lost in his own thoughts.

"Maybe we should let him rest for now," he suggested. "Let him clear his head."

Yusei looked at Jack in silence before reluctantly nodding. As they left the room, he saw Yusei give Kiryu one last look, but Kiryu looked well and truly deep in his own thoughts now.

* * *

Carly watched as Martha stormed out of the back room. She had known her long enough now to recognise that sternness in her voice, so whatever happened in there must have really upset her.

"Is he ok?" she asked Jack and Yusei when they eventually left the back room themselves. "What was Martha so angry about?"

"The doctor said he has a sprained arm and ankle, and a concussion," replied Jack. "He should recover, if he doesn't try to sneak off in the night."

"Why would he do that?" Carly asked, confused.

"We don't know," supplied Yusei. "He seemed intent on leaving, at least until he found he can't walk on his ankle. I'm worried about him, though. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries again."

"He'd really risk injuring his ankle further, just to leave? That doesn't make a lot of sense. Why would he want to leave, anyway? We're trying to help him."

"I doubt he's thinking very clearly, considering he's only just woken up," answered Jack. "Plus, I have a feeling Yusei isn't someone he wants to see much of at the moment."

Yusei's expression turned grim, and Carly could understand why. They had all been friends for a long time before they had fallen out. And, of course, recent events had not helped.

"How did you find him?" she asked.

"I was on the way back from the subway when I heard a crash," explained Yusei. "He'd come off his D-wheel, probably because the road was so slick with the rain. I contacted Crow to help me get him here."

"That's kind of strange," said Jack. "He used to be a good rider, certainly good enough to deal with conditions like those."

Yusei shrugged. "Regardless, he had crashed. His wheel is a wreck; there'll be no salvaging it."

Carly shivered and rubbed her arms while she looked out into the storm, still raging outside. It looked like things around the orphanage were going to be a little tense for a while.

* * *

It felt like a bad dream, a nightmare. But Kiryu understood this was no nightmare. It was reality. It was too harsh not to be reality.

His injured arm was in a sling, but the ice bandage around it left it numb and itchy. He tried not to rub it and instead tried to clear his head. He still felt very groggy.

_Fate has a twisted sense of humour_, he thought. Of all the places to be stranded, he was here, at the orphanage. Kiryu had never thought he would see this place again, yet here he was.

What was he going to do now? He couldn't just sit here, but they were right; he wasn't going to be able to walk for a while.

Kiryu tried to flex his arm in the sling, but stopped with a grimace as pain shot through it. He lay back on the bed, closing his eyes. He was helpless, sitting here; he couldn't do anything. Just when he thought his life couldn't get any worse, it did. Was his suffering never going to end? He was never going to find a moment of peace ever again. He supposed he deserved it, after all he had done.

He lay there, lost in his own thoughts. _Please, let it end soon_, he thought.

* * *

"I hope you've got your head on straight now," said Martha sternly. "No more silly ideas about leaving?"

Kiryu did not reply, continuing to gaze out of the window, seemingly oblivious to the others in the room. Carly saw Martha's scowl deepen as she finished replacing the ice bandage on his ankle. Her job completed, the older woman left without saying anything more.

"She's only trying to help you, you know," chided Jack. "We all are. If it wasn't for Yusei, you'd still be out in the storm by yourself!"

The blue-haired man remained silent. Carly wondered what he was thinking about, what was keeping him so quiet. Yusei looked very concerned for him.

"Kiryu," he began tentatively. "I know we didn't part on the best of terms, but—"

"You should have left me there," he whispered. Carly wasn't sure what he meant. He seemed to be speaking a little clearer, but his words made no sense. Yusei looked equally confused.

"What are you talking—"

"You should have left me there, Yusei," he repeated, still gazing out the window at the rain. "Left me there and driven on. Let me lie there. It would have been a better fate than this."

"We couldn't just leave you there!" shouted Crow. "You probably would have died out in that weather! How is that a better fate?"

Kiryu turned his head away from the window towards him.

"Death would a better fate than this, Crow. The pain would have ended, that way. Death would be better than sitting here. In this place. With you three. Far better. But it's not to be, is it? Death, _true death_, is something I will never see now."

_His concussion must still be affecting him_, Carly thought. _He's rambling and not making any sense_.

Then she noticed the look in his eyes; they had a haunted look, of someone who had seen and done terrible things. She knew Kiryu had been a Dark Signer, like her. Was that what was bothering him? Could he remember what he had done back then, just as she did?

"How much do you remember?" Jack asked. Carly looked at him; he must have come to much the same conclusion she had.

Kiryu tensed, his face becoming haggard and drawn. He looked exhausted. They were on the right track; the question had triggered a response.

"Everything," he replied simply, turning his gaze to the floor.

"Wait," said Crow. "Does that mean you remember what you did as—"

"It does. As I said, I remember everything."

The room fell silent. Nobody seemed to want to be the one to speak next.

Was this the first time they had seen him, since those duels? Yusei spoke of how the other Dark Signers had been revived – Carly still hoped to see Misty again, one day – but none of them had been seen since the King of the Underworld had been defeated.

"I've been riding around Satellite since then, trying to figure it all out," Kiryu continued quietly. "I remember it all; the hatred, the sacrifices I made. The realisation it had cost me everything I ever valued, all because I had been so stupid and angry. I didn't know what to do with myself. I had destroyed everything I ever loved. I can't deal with the guilt of what I have done. I don't deserve to live this life any longer. I just want it to end, I want this pointless suffering to end."

He trailed off, mumbling. Carly felt her heart break at the sight of him.

"It's not your fault, Kiryu," Yusei reassured him. "You were being manipulated the whole time by the underworld. You were being controlled and made to do those terrible things. It's not your fault."

"It WAS my fault, Yusei. All I could feel was my hatred for you and how I wanted to get even. It was my weakness, and I allowed it to control me. I am responsible for everything I have done. I didn't try hard enough to stop it happening, and all I feel now is the guilt of letting it happen. I can't bear it anymore."

The room fell silent again. Yusei and the others were looking at Kiryu with obvious concern. His despair was completely overwhelming him.

Carly could understand exactly what he was going through.

It didn't matter whether or not they were in control of their actions at the time; they had still done terrible things. They had hurt their friends, sacrificed innocent people, caused so much damage and frightened so many. She still had a lot of trouble forgiving herself; even if Yusei had said it would be easier to do in time, she felt she might never be able to forget what happened.

What truly shocked her was the depth of Kiryu's despair. She had been lucky enough to have help in dealing with her own memories. Would she be in his position, now, if not for the support of Jack and her friends here?

She had to say something to help him, to get him to see that he didn't have to deal with this alone.

"I don't know everything that's happened between all of you, yet," she began. "But I do know that Yusei, Jack and Crow want to help you, Kiryu. They didn't want to leave you out in the street, injured; they wanted to help you recover. Otherwise they wouldn't have bought you here. They don't want you to suffer."

"I don't deserve their help," Kiryu whispered in reply, looking at the floor blankly. "After all I've done, I don't deserve anyone's help. They haven't done anything as horrible as what I have done, nobody has. No one deserves to suffer more than I do."

"That isn't true, Kiryu. Remember, you were not the only Dark Signer. I…I was one, too."

Carly struggled to get the words out, but they had the effect she was hoping for. Kiryu slowly turned his head to look at her suspiciously. Guided by her feelings, she removed her glasses so he could see her face. He peered at her closely before his eyes widened in surprise.

"You. I recognise you now," he said slowly. "You were there. But… how are you here? You fought them with the rest of us?"

"Yes. I was revived, like you were, when the Dark Signers were all defeated," explained Carly. "I woke up back in the city, where I… where I died originally. I came here to Satellite to find out what happened; I didn't remember anything, at least not at first. It took a few days for me to fully regain my memory."

"But, you remember it all now?" asked Kiryu intently. "All of it?"

"Yes," she replied sadly. "I remember all of it. I also carry the guilt of what I did as a Dark Signer. Like you, I remember the people I sacrificed, the destruction I caused. Even though all the people in the city and Satellite came back in the end, it doesn't make it any easier to deal with."

Kiryu stared at her. He looked uncertain of how to respond to what he had heard.

"But…but yet you still manage to deal with it? How?" he asked finally.

"It hasn't been easy," Carly admitted. "Since coming here, I've made many new friends, including Yusei. Their support has made it easier for me to deal with my feelings, but even then I don't think I would have been able to manage them completely without Jack."

Jack gave her a smile and put his hand on her shoulder. She smiled back, placing her other hand on top of his.

"The point I'm trying to make here is," she continued. "The support of my friends is what's helping me deal with the memories and the guilt. They know what happened during those horrible days; they experienced it just as we did, and we all share the scars. They want to help you deal with your pain as well. And these three want to help you most of all, because you used to be their friend!"

Kiryu shook his head in response.

"All I could think about was my hatred for Yusei," he replied quietly. "All I could think about was finally getting my revenge on him. I let myself get used by whatever that thing was just so I could get that revenge. I threw away everything, my life, everyone I knew, for that chance. I don't deserve help in dealing with my memories. I don't have the friends that you do to help you; I have already forsaken mine. I have to deal with this by myself."

"But these three were your friends, back then!" Carly persisted. "Even after everything that has happened they are still here, looking out for you!"

"But WHY!?" Kiryu yelled, his voice becoming shrill. Carly felt her heart sink as she thought about just how emotionally shot his mind must be.

"I treated him so badly," he continued, back to a whisper. "All because I thought he had betrayed me to Security, after we had conquered Satellite together, after all we had been through. And then everything I put him through as a Dark Signer, in both our duels. I have done nothing but cause him suffering, more than enough for him to want his own revenge. Why doesn't he want that? Why does he still want to help me?"

"I hurt Jack in my duel, too," Carly replied, her own voice now a whisper. "I nearly killed him, nearly turned him into a Dark Signer. But he has forgiven me for it. He has forgiven me for everything that happened between us. I know Yusei well enough now to be sure he doesn't want revenge, and I'm sure he forgives you for what you have done, as Jack forgave me."

Jack's hand squeezed her shoulder in support.

"That's right, Kiryu," said Yusei, smiling at the blue-haired man. "Our lives have been hard on both of us. But we are all on the road to recovery, now, and we want you along. We're here to help you both recover from your injuries and deal with the trauma of the Dark Signers. Even after the tremendous ordeals we've been through, you are still our friend. We won't give up on you!"

Kiryu looked at Yusei silently. Carly felt drained from the effort of trying to get through to him, to get him to understand he wasn't alone. She hoped it had worked, because she wasn't sure what else she could say to convince him.

"Yusei," he said finally, looking at the floor again. "Jack, Crow. I'm…I'm so… so sorry. For… for everything. I…I…"

Yusei smiled and extended his hand. Kiryu hesitated, before slowing reaching to take it with his free hand.

"Team Satisfaction is back!" exclaimed Crow with a grin. Jack and Yusei laughed and nodded, putting their fists together with Crow. They looked at Kiryu, who put his good arm with them, a small smile finally forming on his face.

After a moment, they looked expectantly at Carly. She hesitated only a moment before adding her fist to theirs, a grin forming on her own face. She felt ecstatic to see them reunite; even after they had split up so horribly all those years ago, and all the troubles they had endured during the Dark Signer conflict, they had all come back together.

Crow was right. Team Satisfaction really was back.


	17. Chapter 17 - Recruitment

Chapter 17: Recruitment

* * *

The storm raged for a week.

Carly couldn't believe it. She'd never seen a storm last this long. The rain never stopped, the wind never eased; it continued to blow and pour for days on end. Nobody else in the orphanage could believe it either; even Martha remarked on never having seen such a storm.

Not for the first time, she cursed at drawing Heavy Storm for her fortune that day. She had drawn her fortune every day since then, and got Heavy Storm each and every day, without fail. Could that have something to do with it? Or was her deck was playing tricks on her?

Carly tried to think less about the storm, as she stared alone out the window at the rain. There were plenty of other things on her mind at the moment.

One of them was her boss. She had finished a number of articles, but hadn't submitted anything for over a week now. She hadn't been able to get through to Ushio at all; his office had been unavailable, for some reason. She'd talked to a number of different members of Security and got a different answer each time, before they'd hung up on her, clearly uninterested in helping. Even dropping Mikage's name hadn't changed their minds. Then the storm had arrived, and the weather made it impossible to establish a link to the city.

_No bets on how many times I've been fired by now_, Carly thought sullenly. It wasn't as if she had been doing nothing; all she needed was a working connection and she could send through everything she had. But they had tried more times than they could count to get it working, without any luck.

Carly hoped everything was all right in the city. She felt out of the loop here in Satellite, more so when this storm seemed to be in no hurry to leave.

Her frustration was obvious to everyone else, and most of them shared her ill feelings. Cabin fever described the mood inside the orphanage perfectly. Crow and Jack seemed to find new ways to get on each other's nerves every day. How they'd managed to stay friends as children, she didn't know.

She'd even argued with Jack herself, once, over the content of one of her articles; he seemed to think duelling meant everything, here. Sure, she could agree it was a popular past-time in Satellite, but there was more to life than just duelling. And yet Jack didn't seem to think she had emphasised it enough.

_I guess that counts as our first fight since I came back_, she thought. Still, she knew she was right. Communities were built around more than just duelling. Sometimes Jack couldn't seem to think of much else.

She envied Crow and Yusei. Each of them had gone out into the storm a couple of times to check on their friends who were staying elsewhere. Martha hadn't been keen on it, but they braved the conditions anyway despite her protests. Thankfully, there had been no more incidents and the two foster brothers had returned safely each time. Carly knew she still wasn't sure enough a rider herself to travel in these conditions safely, but still, she envied them for being able to get away from the place for a while.

At least she had gotten to know the other Signers a bit better in the last few days. Rua was the typical brash young kid she had come across in the city many times before. Ruka was definitely the more serious of the two, but Carly could tell they were very close. Yusei liked to tinker with electronics and other devices, and was often out tuning his D-wheel, even if it meant he got caught in the rain a little. He frequently mentioned a friend of his, Saiga, in conversations; apparently he was from the city but had been staying in Satellite for some time now.

Crow was close to many of the orphans and obviously cared a great deal for them. Carly hadn't seen much of them – she suspected they had mostly been hiding from her while she had been here – but they had finally opened up to her over the last week. Martha worked very hard to keep the place running smoothly; it was a tight ship, and Carly was still impressed by how everyone was keen to help out when necessary.

Kiryu she still wasn't sure about. She thought back to their conversation, the day after they had helped him come to terms with his guilt.

"_Thank you, Carly," Yusei had said quietly as they had entered the rear bedroom, obviously relieved. "I never considered how he would be struggling with those memories."_

_She nodded, reflecting on her own memories of that conflict. Kiryu was still sleeping, so they were keeping their voices low._

"_I know what he is going through, the guilt, the grief. I hope it does get easier to deal with in time, like you say."_

"_It does, Carly. It does."_

_Kiryu stirred. He opened his eyes and looked at all of them._

"_Carly," he addressed her. His voice was definitely sounding stronger now. "I wanted to thank you for what you said yesterday."_

"_You're welcome," she replied. "I know how hard it can be for us, to deal with those memories, but I also know that we don't have to deal with them alone."_

"_I had been ready to end my life because of how guilty I felt," he said sadly. "I couldn't deal with it on my own. But you showed me that, with the support of your friends, you could deal with your own guilt, and that maybe I could too. I couldn't believe that Yusei and the others could ever forgive me, but they have."_

_They all smiled on hearing that. Kiryu's smile disappeared quickly, replaced by a determined expression._

"_I've thought about what I want to do," he decided. "When I've recovered, I… I need to find myself again. I have been angry and unhappy for so long, I barely remember what I used to be like before that. I need to go and find that happy self again."_

Carly could understand what he meant. He'd spent years consumed by his darker feelings, and he needed to work out what he was going to do with his life from here.

Still, she was glad to have eased some of that ill-feeling. Kiryu seemed to still have enough inner strength to recover emotionally from what happened, with their support. What surprised her was how well he got on with everyone else at the orphanage; even the young orphans had warmed to him quickly. Maybe he really had come to terms with his past, like he claimed.

Carly hoped the storm would end soon. It had to; she couldn't stay here forever. Living in Neo Domino City, she had gotten used to the freedom to go where she wanted, when she wanted. After a week of being stuck indoors, even Duel Monsters could get a little boring, and she needed new ideas for articles for Henshucho.

When she could eventually get through to him. If he hadn't fired her already, that was.

Duel Monsters. That was something at least which she could feel relieved about. She had tried a couple of duels using the old duel mat Martha had supplied, and even though she had lost both, they had both gone without incident. After talking with the others, Carly believed her problems with duelling was something to do with the holographic projections of the duel disks, and Aki seemed to agree with her. Somehow the projections trigged a psychic response. She could at least duel now, in a way; but she was no closer to getting her power under control.

_How does psychic power affect duels_, she wondered. _How does it make the damage real? And will I ever be able to control it?_

She was glad for Aki's support. The burgundy-haired woman had made clear her desire to help Carly control her power and she had given her what advice she knew, not that it had seemed to have much of an effect. Still, they talked often and tried to help each other as best they could.

She thought back to Jack again. She pretty much knew all there was to know about him, now. Carly could easily tell he was equally as irritable stuck indoors as she was; he'd obviously grown used to city life over the two years he was living there. Carly wondered what was going to happen to them in the future. While she had chosen to stay here with him for now, she knew once the Daedalus Bridge was finally completed, she would have to head back to the city. She still had her job there, after all, and her apartment, and her contacts.

But would he come back with her? Or would he stay in the place of his birth?

Carly continued to watch the rain fall, wondering what her future had in store.

* * *

"Have the exercises helped?" asked Aki, as they wandered through the streets of Satellite. Carly had only experienced the roads here in dry weather so far, and that had been enough of a culture shock to her; she had never expected life here could get harder.

But a week of heavy rain had proven her wrong. The broken roadways, dangerous at the best of times, were filled with deep puddles, and there was mud clinging to everything.

Still, the storm had finally blown itself out, and bright sunshine had replaced the dreary grey storm clouds. Carly was glad to be going outdoors somewhere, anywhere, and she was glad for Aki and Ruka's company. Yusei and Crow had gone out once again to check on their respective friends and see how they had held up after the storm, while Jack and Rua seemed more interested in getting back into 'proper' duelling.

That left the three girls to entertain themselves. Carly had shared a look with Ruka that explained everything. _Those two boys will never change_, she thought.

"No," Carly sighed, returning her thoughts to the present. "I don't feel any different at all."

"I didn't think that they would help you," Aki chuckled. "They never helped me."

Carly gaped at her. "Why did you want me to try them, then?" she asked.

"I thought they might help," Aki replied, shrugging. "Like I said, I've been trying to think of what I can do which might help, though I don't really know what will help exactly. That was Divine's area of expertise."

Carly considered for a moment. "I suppose you're right. I appreciate the help, you know I do. But we've been trying to figure this out for three weeks – I think it's three weeks; it's been hard to keep track of time here sometimes – and we don't seem to getting anywhere. I'm still as confused as ever!"

Aki gave her a sympathetic smile.

"All we can do is stick with it. It took me years, even with Divine's guidance, to get to where I am now. We just have to keep trying."

Ruka nodded in agreement, offering her own smile.

_That's easy for her to say_, Carly thought, but she immediately took that thought back. Aki had been working on her powers for years, and they had caused her so much pain in the process. Carly had experienced that pain first-hand, now. She had no right to doubt this woman's efforts, really. She changed the subject.

"So I've been wondering; why did you decide to stay here in Satellite?" she asked Ruka. "I thought you lived in the city?"

"We do," Ruka replied. "But we never see much of our parents. Me and Rua look after each other, mostly. And we would miss Yusei and Aki too much if we stayed back in the city. Staying here, while it's a lot different from Tops, has been fun and it's been good to stay with friends."

"Well, that's fair enough," admitted Carly. "What about you, Aki? I thought your family was back in the city as well?"

Aki hesitated before clearing her throat.

"I-I wanted to stay here," she stuttered. "All the Signers are here. We need to stick together in case more trouble comes along."

It was a sensible answer, but Carly suspected there was more to it than that. She had seen the bond Aki had with Yusei, a bond which seemed to go deeper than simple friendship; there was genuine affection there.

"Are you sure it's not because of Yusei?" she asked. Aki raised a hand to her mouth, a blush forming on her cheeks.

"W-what makes you think that?" she stammered, confirming Carly's suspicions.

"It IS because of him!" she exclaimed, grinning. "So that's why!"

Aki gave her a glare before she burst out laughing.

"I guess it did play a part," she admitted. "He's done so much for me. But seriously, it wasn't the key reason. It was a combination of reasons, really. And my parents would have preferred me back in the city, I know."

Carly lost her smile. "You must miss them a great deal."

"I do," Aki replied sadly. "I never saw a great deal of my parents, once my powers first manifested. I was always at school or hiding myself away somewhere, afraid I might hurt somebody. And then three years ago I left them behind and became the Black Rose Witch. We missed out on so much time together, and it makes me feel terrible."

Aki wiped her eyes as she continued.

"But I am a Signer, and during the fight with the Dark Signers, my responsibility was here. I've learnt a lot since I've been here about friendship and spending time with people you treasure; once the bridge is completed, I'll go and visit them. Until then, I will try to enjoy my time here."

Carly smiled at that. "Like me, then. I will be heading back once the bridge is completed, too. After that…"

"You're wondering what will happen with you and Jack, aren't you?" Aki queried.

Carly started. Now it was her turn to blush. Ruka hid a smile behind her hand.

"You've been turning it over in your mind for the last few days," Aki laughed. "It wasn't hard to figure out. So what did you decide? What will you do?"

"I don't know," Carly replied. "I hope we stay together, but I don't know what Jack wants to do, whether he will go back to pro duelling or–"

The street exploded in fire.

* * *

Carly shook her head, trying to clear it. She was feeling dazed and groggy; she must have struck her head. Whatever that explosion was, it had knocked her against the side of that building with some force.

She couldn't see Aki or Ruka. Carly struggled to her feet. What was that explosion?

She looked around. Fire still burned in the street. A circle of char on the muddy road marked the spot where the explosion had ignited. The surrounding buildings were still damp from the rain, but a couple of them showed scorch marks.

A short way down the street lay Aki and Ruka, both of them lying face down. Neither of them was moving. Carly began to move to them to check on them. Had they been hurt?

"Just one moment," a man's voice called. Carly stopped. Where had that voice come from?

That's when Carly noticed the man moving out from beneath one of the ruined buildings. He was well-dressed, with a black shirt and grey tie visible beneath his brown overcoat. He carried a duel disk on his arm and his wide-brimmed hat was pulled low to obscure his face.

"Ah, sir?" she asked. "I think my friends there are injured. We were caught in that explosion back there, whatever it was."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about them," the man replied, removing his hat. "It's been a while, Carly."

Carly stared at the man. "H-how do you know my name? Who are you?"

The man looked familiar, somehow. He had a scar on the right side of his face, mostly covered by scraggly auburn hair. The hair reminded her of…

She gasped.

"Divine!?"

Divine smiled grimly at her as he put his Hinotama card back in his deck.

"But… what are you doing here?" demanded Carly. "You're supposed to be in prison!"

"Prison!" he scoffed. "Come now. Do you think someone like me could be kept in prison?"

Carly scowled at him. She had hoped to never see this man again.

"You should see what I've done with the place," he continued. "I've met so many interesting people there. I couldn't help but start a recruitment drive!"

She gasped again. "What do you mean? What have you done?"

Divine ignored her question. "You've been holding out on me, all this time. I can't believe I didn't sense you earlier. It's extraordinary. We even had our duels and I didn't sense a thing. Unbelievable."

He was giving her an appraising look, as if he'd found a new tool he could use. Or a new weapon he could wield. Could he sense her psychic power?

"No!" she cried. She wouldn't let this man manipulate her as he had Aki. "I won't be part of your schemes!"

"Such potential. Was it your transformation?" he continued quietly, as if he was talking only to himself. "Was that the trigger? No, it probably wasn't, or I would have felt something back then. It must be something else."

"Did you hear me? I won't let you use me!"

"Be quiet!" Divine roared. "You don't have a choice in the matter, Carly. You are mine, now. And when I'm finished with you, you won't be quite so stubborn. Those two will be easy to deal with, but first I think I will deal with you."

Before she could think to run, or fight, he activated a card from his deck.

It was Brain Control. Two large clawed hands reached out from the card, clutching at Carly. The hands were huge and filled her vision, as if they were about to swallow her up.

"Welcome to the Arcadia Movement, Carly Nagisa!" she heard Divine laugh.


	18. Chapter 18 - The Fortune Lady

Chapter 18: The Fortune Lady

* * *

The enormous hands engulfed Carly's vision, Divine's mocking laughter echoing in her ears.

The world began to turn black around her as his spell took effect. She knew she had to fight this thing before it overwhelmed her, but she could feel her will slipping by the second. Desperately she tried to summon up her powers and use them to fend off Divine's spell, but all her efforts were for naught.

Carly could feel herself falling into the dark void, the light above growing fainter and fainter.

It was no good. She couldn't hold on. Divine was going to claim her. She wasn't strong enough to resist him.

Suddenly she recalled what Aki had said. _Psychic power is driven by strong emotion_.

_That's it_, she thought. _Jack. Think of Jack!_

With the last of her strength, Carly thought of Jack. She pictured him in her mind; back at the hospital, in their duel against the mind-controlled Ushio; then at the observation tower, as Jack had resolved to live his own life and not someone else's. Carly pictured him by the hummingbird tower, after he had declared his love for her and freed her from the underworld, only for him to lose her again. Lastly, she pictured him on his throne in the theatre, with her in his arms, after she had regained all her memories.

If Jack had been in this situation, he would have fought Divine with all his strength. Carly knew she had to keep fighting, just like he would have done; if she didn't, she would become just another of Divine's victims.

Carly was not going to let Divine take her away from Jack. She was not going to lose him now, not after all she had endured to be with him again.

He had already lost her once. She would not make him go through that pain again. She wouldn't!

Carly gathered all the resolve inside herself until she thought she would burst.

Her and Jack had been through so much together in such a short time. But now this… this monster of a man was trying to take her away from him, and she wasn't going to let him go.

_I won't let him go! Do you hear me, Divine!? You will not take me from him again!_

Something awoke inside of her. Light filled her vision, until everything went white.

As her consciousness faded, Carly felt power surging forth from her very soul.

* * *

Divine frowned in frustration at Carly.

_Why isn't the spell working_, he wondered. It had worked countless times before. Her strength must be extraordinary for her to resist him this long. But how had she become so strong?

It didn't matter. He could sense her weakening, now. It wouldn't be long. Soon enough, she would be his—

But, at that moment, Divine felt his influence slip.

Behind her glasses, Carly's eyes suddenly blazed with bright yellow light.

Divine started. What was this?

Then he noticed something was beginning to form in front of Carly. At first it was only a small ball of dim light, but it quickly grew and formed itself into a humanoid figure, the light growing more intense.

He gasped. He has seen this creature before. Carly had used it in their duel when she had been a newly-born Dark Signer. Only this was no duel. She had no cards with her to summon creatures with, let alone a duel disk.

And yet, Divine knew his eyes did not deceive him. This creature standing before him was Fortune Lady Light. Her face was a mask of tightly controlled anger.

And she was not alone for long. Other shapes were beginning to form around Carly, of multiple colours. Red, green, blue, purple, and finally brown. Each morphed into another fortune lady, and with each that appeared, Divine felt his hold on her mind slipping even more.

What was happening? She was getting strength from those fortune ladies, but how?

Divine searched his thoughts desperately for an explanation. This shouldn't be possible. Even he needed to use cards as a basis to employ his psychic power, but she just seemed to be summoning them out of thin air. All his experience told him this shouldn't be possible!

As the sixth fortune lady formed, his spell finally turned in on itself in a concussive blast, knocking him backwards to the ground.

"This can't be!" Divine yelled, shaking with rage as he shot back to his feet. "I am the leader of the Arcadia Movement! I am the strongest psychic in the world! Nobody can resist me!"

"You're wrong," replied Fortune Lady Light. "Your hatred will always limit the extent of your power, but our strength suffers no such limit. You will never break us."

Divine was stunned. Carly's creature had heard him, and spoken to him. How was this possible? Was this…

"We'll see—"he began.

"Rose Tentacles, go!"

Divine cursed and leapt back as the plant's limbs slapped the ground where he had been standing. Aki Izayoi had joined the battle, manifesting her cards directly without a disk. Just like he had taught her. She was closely followed by Ruka, her face set in a determined scowl.

"Leave us alone!" screamed Aki. "I'm done with you! After everything you put me and the others through, I never want to see you again!"

Divine looked between Carly and her fortune ladies, and Aki with her plant creature, grinding his teeth in frustration. His careful plan had come unravelled somehow, and now both of them were ready to fight back.

It was time for a tactical withdrawal. But there was still time for a parting shot.

"You're nothing without me, Aki," he snarled as he drew a card from his deck. "Go back to Yusei and your precious Signers. Go back to your illusion of safety, your delusion of a place where you might belong. You will never be welcome anywhere like you were with me, with us."

He activated his card, Psychic Jump, and disappeared in a burst of white light.

* * *

Aki sank to the ground, bursting into tears. She heard Ruka move up behind her, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"He's gone, Aki. It's ok," the girl said.

"I just can't get him out of my life," sobbed Aki. "He's hurt so many people, and manipulated so many others, but I still can't get him out of my life. I thought I would never let him affect me ever again, but he knows just what to say to upset me!"

Aki continued to cry as Ruka hugged her. _If only he could see me now_, she thought idly, as she sobbed on the ground like a child just from the sight of him.

"Aki…" Ruka was saying hesitantly.

"I must look terrible," Aki joked, trying to compose herself. "I never thought I'd have this much trouble getting over him."

She stood up and was brushing dust off her clothes before she remembered. Carly!

"Carly! Are you—"she began, turning to her friend.

Aki stopped, gasping, as she looked upon Carly. The reporter gazed blankly at the spot where Divine had stood, her glasses not obscuring the brilliant yellow light blazing from her eyes.

Surrounding her were six other women. Aki could remember seeing them now, from when she was rushing to help Carly against whatever Divine had been doing. They had a presence to them, a sense of power; something about it seemed familiar to Aki, but she couldn't place it. It was strong, whatever it was. Where had they come from?

"Don't worry, Aki," said one of the women, dressed in yellow robes. "Your friend is safe. I am Hikari."

"H-how do you know me?" she asked, hesitantly. Hikari smiled.

"We have met before. Think back to your duel with Carly."

Confused, Aki went back through the duel in her head. It wasn't a happy memory; she had lost control of her power and both of them had been hurt.

"I don't understand…"

Then it all fell into place for her. She recognised this woman now. This was one of the monsters Carly had summoned.

"Oh! You're Fortune Lady Light!"

Hikari nodded. Aki heard Ruka gasp beside her.

"But how… you must be a duel spirit!" she continued. "How are you here? How can we see you, and talk with you?"

The fortune lady spirit turned to gaze back at Carly, her eyes still glowing brightly.

"There is much to tell, but we have little time," she replied, turning back to Aki. "We are still weak. I must ask a favour of you."

"Of course," Aki replied eagerly.

"Wait!" called Ruka. "There must be more you can tell us!"

"I would like to, little one," replied Hikari. "But time is against us. Aki, Carly will likely have no memory of what has happened here, at least for the moment."

Aki understood. "I'll tell her everything that happened," she said. "Everything."

Hikari nodded, smiling. Her form shimmered and disappeared. The other women also faded away; Aki realised they must have been fortune lady spirits, too. She and Ruka were left alone with Carly.

The glow from Carly's eyes faded, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Carly!" cried Aki, rushing over. "Carly, are you ok?"

Carly groaned in response, and she blinked.

"Ugh, my head," she said, resting her head in both hands. "What… what happened? Wh-where's Divine?"

"We should get back to Martha's immediately," replied Aki. "We'll tell you what happened on the way."

* * *

Carly wasn't sure what Aki was talking about. Her head still felt funny and she couldn't think clearly.

The last she could remember was being stuck in that void, trying to fight off Divine's control; then she had woken up on the ground, dizzy and a little nauseous. Aki and Ruka had had to support her part way back to Martha's before she had finally managed to walk on her own.

"So let me try to get this straight," she said doubtfully. "My eyes were glowing, and my fortune ladies were around me. And somehow they had stopped Divine's attack?"

"Yes," replied Ruka. "Once Aki had recovered, she went to help you, but Divine got away."

"And then you talked to Fortune Lady Light, somehow?"

Ruka nodded.

"She called herself Hikari," supplied Aki. "We didn't get to talk much. She said she couldn't stay long."

"And she was a duel spirit?"

"I think so. I've heard stories about duel spirits appearing to people."

"I don't know," said Carly, shaking her head. "The last I remember I was trying to think of Jack; I remembered what you had said about psychic power being driven by emotion, and I tried to think of Jack as hard as I could. I tried to think of everything we had been through. But I don't remember anything else after that, certainly not making him retreat."

"It was you, Carly," insisted Aki. "It was you and your fortune ladies that fought him off. I still don't know what it was you did, but I can still sort of feel their strength inside you. Do you feel any different than you did before?"

Carly thought about it for a moment.

"Other than a headache? Actually, I do feel a little… weird. I can't think of a better way to describe it, but something's definitely different."

"What was he doing here?" asked Ruka. "I thought he was in prison?"

"He was," replied Carly. "But he wasn't a prisoner for long. I think he took the prison over, or he claimed something like that. He could sense my power and he was surprised he couldn't before. That's when he attacked. He seemed interested in all of us, for some reason."

Just then, they saw Jack approaching on his D-wheel. Rua was with him. Carly and the others stopped as Jack pulled up the cycle before them.

"Are you guys ok?" he asked.

"Ruka!" cried Rua, running to his sister. "What happened?"

"I thought I sensed you on your way," she replied, embracing her brother. "Don't worry, I'm ok now."

"It was Divine," Aki informed them. "He tried to capture us, but Carly fought him off."

"Carly did?" Jack asked, looking at her.

"I don't remember…" she began.

"We're ok now, though," finished Aki, smiling at Carly. "But we should probably get back to Martha's and let the others know."

"Good idea," said Jack. "We'll all go together, for safety."

"How did you know something was wrong?" Aki asked him.

"I didn't," he replied. "It was Rua. He could sense Ruka was in trouble, somehow."

The twins smiled at each other. Carly thought she could understand what happened. She had heard of twins sometimes having a very close bond, where they could almost sense each other's thoughts. Rua had sensed Ruka was hurt and came to help, that was probably it.

They all fell silent as they began to head back to the orphanage. Carly was still struggling to process what they had been saying about her. Divine had nearly succeeded in taking control of her, but somehow she had been saved by her fortune ladies? And Fortune Lady Light had talked to Aki?

"We'll figure this out, Carly," said Aki, noticing her mood. "Don't worry!"

Ruka smiled her agreement. Carly still had her doubts, but she smiled anyway. She knew her friends would support her in this, whatever had happened.

And she did feel different; she almost felt lighter and more energetic than she had before. What was happening to her?

* * *

Divine's anger seethed within him as he strode through the Facility.

He'd prepared for every conceivable setback. There was no way he could have anticipated this. But the knowledge did not calm his anger. What had gone wrong? Aki had eluded him again.

And, maybe more importantly now, Carly had eluded him.

Divine stopped, taking a deep breath. His trip had not been a complete waste. He was sure now that Aki was as emotionally weak as ever. And he knew that Carly had become powerful somehow, even after her revival. She could be a valuable asset, if he could get his hands on her, but that was obviously not going to be easy.

He entered the office. The black-robed girl was there, waiting, but her eyes betrayed her impatience.

"You return empty-handed," she said bluntly. "This is not reassuring, Divine."

"There was an unexpected development," he replied. "For now, go to Seria and tell her to gather the movement. It's time to leave."

She nodded as she headed for the door. Divine watched her leave, a smile touching his lips. Even though he had failed to capture Aki, other plans were still running smoothly.

_Soon, you will get your wish_, he thought. _Soon, the Signers will be yours._

* * *

"So Divine is loose in the city again?" asked Yusei intently.

"Absolutely," said Aki, nodding. "He is a prisoner no longer. Indeed, if what Carly believes is true, he is in control of the Facility."

They had all gathered back at Martha's, and Aki and Ruka had filled the rest of them in on what had happened. Carly still looked a little confused by the whole matter; that was no surprise, Aki knew, given that she hadn't seen what she and Ruka had seen.

Aki had told them everything, even if she had trouble believing it herself. Somehow, Carly had summoned those duel monster spirits; but how she had managed that, Aki did not know. It didn't sound like any psychic ability she knew of; even psychic duellists still needed their cards, but she never saw Carly with any of her own cards out.

Yusei looked very concerned at hearing about Divine, and Aki could understand why. She knew what they had gone through, because of him; for him to be running free again was not good news. Suddenly every corner seemed like it might be hiding him, lurking in wait to snare them again.

"So you don't remember anything of what happened, Carly?" asked Yusei. Carly shook her head.

"No," she replied. "I only know what Aki and Ruka have told me. I don't really understand it, but whatever happened was apparently enough to make Divine retreat."

"Who was he after? Was it you, Aki or Ruka?"

"I think he was after me," answered Aki. "But he went after Carly first. Maybe he sensed her power or something. And he has always had an interest in Ruka's connection to the spirits."

Just thinking about Divine lurking around again was making Aki feel upset. She looked at Carly.

"I won't let him get you, Carly, like he did me," she asserted fiercely. "Once he gets his hooks into someone…"

"We'll have to be extra careful from now on, then," Yusei concluded. "Since it seems he's after all three of you, now, he's bound to be back someday, and he might not hesitate to use us to get to you."

"I'm afraid of him, Yusei," Aki confessed, tears starting to form. "Even hearing his voice again is enough to upset me. You saw what happened in my duel with Misty, when he undid the block on my power. I'm worried about what other forms of control he might have over me that I don't know about."

"Don't worry, Aki," he replied. "We'll protect you. All of you. But we shouldn't travel too far from the orphanage, if we can avoid it, and we definitely shouldn't travel alone."

"How dangerous is he?" asked Crow. "He's just one man, isn't he?"

"Even so, he is very dangerous," supplied Aki. "He has full control over his psychic ability. His power comes from his pain and hatred, like mine did, and he hates everyone with incredible intensity. I can finally see that now. He's ruthless and won't hesitate to harm anyone who gets in his way. Most of you know how far he is willing to go, now."

They nodded, even the twins. She saw Rua shudder; he must be recalling the brutal duel he'd had with Divine. Ruka placed a hand on his arm.

"And I don't think he would have escaped by himself," Aki continued. "He still has his Arcadia movement, and I remember he had quite a few talented members. They probably helped him take control of the Facility."

"He may also have increased his numbers, now," added Carly. "He mentioned being interested in some of the people there."

"He's a psychic duellist, Crow," finished Yusei. "He could be capable of just about anything."

Crow sat back, looking sullen.

"So what do we do then?" he asked.

"Like I said," replied Yusei. "We take care, we don't travel too far, and we don't travel alone. And we let Ushio and Security handle this, for now; if he's working out of the Facility, then he's based in the city, and we can't get there until the bridge is finished."

"Just because he's dangerous, doesn't mean we should live in fear of him," added Jack. "I'm not going to live afraid of my own shadow. If he turns up again, we'll deal with him."

"Exactly, Jack. He's just another danger that we have to accept. We can't stop living our lives just because of him. That's what he'd want us to do. So, for now, we keep ourselves safe and keep vigilant. Eventually we'll figure out what he's doing and put a stop to it."

Aki had noticed Ruka had been very quiet throughout the conversation.

"It'll be ok, Ruka," she reassured the girl. "Jack's right. If he shows up again, we will deal with him."

"That's right," agreed Rua. "I won't let him cause us trouble again. Not like last time."

But Ruka was shaking her head.

"It's not just that I'm worried about. Do you remember Ancient Fairy Dragon's warning? Something in the human world is corrupting the forest in the spirit world."

"You think Divine is doing it?" asked Yusei.

"Yes. Somehow he must have found a way to enter the spirit world."

Silence fell over the room.

"All the more reason to stop whatever he's up to, Ruka," said Yusei fervently. "I won't have him harming my friends again."

He was looking at Aki as he spoke. She knew Yusei would honour that pledge, maybe even at the cost of his life. She could feel herself blushing, and noticed Carly trying to hide a smile behind her hand.

The thought made her smile herself. Divine was wrong. She felt safe here with her friends, safer than nearly anywhere she had ever been.

* * *

Eventually they all got up from the table, united in their determination to continue in the face of Divine's threat, but going their separate ways for now.

Carly could understand. Nobody felt much like talking more about the day's events, and it was getting late anyway. She felt incredibly tired after what had happened.

"I'm just relieved that you are safe, Carly," Jack was saying to her. "I don't know what I would have done if Divine had captured you. I will go with you wherever you go, now, to keep you safe."

"I appreciate that, Jack," she began. "But you heard what they were saying. He's very dangerous and capable of all sorts of tricks. You've seen what he's done to Aki, despite all the power she has. And I've told you what he did to me. I don't want you to get yourself killed trying to fight him!"

"Better that, than letting him kill you or take over your mind. I won't let him hurt you, Carly. Besides," he added, grinning. "If he's as strong as they say, he wouldn't dare refuse a duel with the mighty Jack Atlas!"

Carly shook her head, but she was smiling too. Even with Divine running loose in the city and their lives under threat, Jack thought he could solve their problems with a duel. But Carly knew it would take much more than that.

"Good night Carly," said Jack. "Sleep well."

"You too," she replied.

Carly lay awake for some time that night, thinking about what Aki and Ruka had said. Had her fortune ladies really saved her from Divine? Had they really talked to a duel spirit? It didn't make a lot of sense.

Maybe checking her fortune might help her sleep. She drew a card.

It was Fortune Lady Light. Carly was not impressed. She was reminded of the times she had drawn Fortune Fairy Hikari and how it had meant a good fortune lay ahead. It always used to make her feel happy. Now, looking at the card she had drawn, she just felt frustrated. She had no answers for what had happened.

Sleep was a long time in coming that night.

* * *

A/N: Psychic Jump is a custom card Divine owns. I may explain it's effect later in the story :)


	19. Chapter 19 - Another World

Chapter 19: Another World

* * *

Carly wandered through the empty moonlit streets of Neo Domino City. It felt like a long time since she had seen these streets, but they were still very familiar to her. She must have travelled them many times since she had first arrived in the city.

She had awoken in her apartment; it looked unchanged from when she had left it last. At first, Carly had found this a little confusing – part of her was sure she was actually in Satellite right then – but after she had left her home and started walking, it hadn't take long for her to lose herself in her memories of the city.

Wandering through a small park, she sat down on a wooden bench and gazed around. Carly had been here many times before; regardless of the season, this park always seemed to have an elegant beauty to it. The tall buildings surrounding it only made it more unique, in her mind. She had never been here before at night, though. She might have to visit here when she got back; it looked no less beautiful in the moonlight.

_Wait_, she thought. _I just said, 'when I get back'. Maybe I am actually in Satellite? I haven't seen any people around. Is this a dream of some sort?_

"Yes, Carly," said a voice nearby. "This is just a dream."

Carly jumped up from the bench, looking to see who had spoken. She gasped as she recognised who was approaching her.

"Fortune Lady Light! Is that really you?"

"Yes," she replied, moving to stand next to Carly. "Though you may call me Hikari, if you wish."

"Hikari? Then… then my friends really did see you!"

Hikari nodded, smiling. Carly smiled back, unsure of what to say next.

"So this is a dream?"

"Yes," replied Hikari. "We know how much you loved the city, so we decided to bring you to a place you would feel comfortable with."

"Where I would feel comfortable?" questioned Carly. "Why? What… what happened yesterday? With Divine?"

Hikari's smile faded slightly.

"I have much to explain to you, Carly. But first, I wish to offer you an invitation."

"An invitation?" asked Carly, confused.

"Yes. To visit us, in our home."

"Us?"

"My sisters," said Hikari, smiling again.

Sisters? Carly considered. This Hikari was a duel spirit. Does she mean…

"The other fortune ladies?" she asked. Hikari nodded again.

This spirit was offering her the chance to visit her other fortune lady spirits? _I could never refuse something like that_, she thought.

"I would love to."

"I'm glad. But first, I would give you a word of caution," said Hikari seriously. "Visiting our home for the first time may… disorient you briefly."

She extended her hand towards Carly, who only hesitated a second before taking it. As she did, Carly felt the world lurch around her, turning into blackness.

* * *

She awoke in a void.

"Hikari?" she asked. Hikari appeared beside her.

"It feels good to be home again. Are you ready?" she asked, looking at Carly.

Carly nodded. Hikari gazed at her a moment longer before raising her head and closing her eyes.

The empty black void was drawn back like a curtain, replaced with a blaze of colour. Whirlpools of electric blue energy assaulted Carly's vision. Interspersed among them were what looked like portals on other worlds; Carly could see into the core of a volcano, into the depths of an ocean, into the blazing heart of a bright yellow star, onto the rugged peak of a high mountain. The riot of colour forced her to shut her eyes.

"What—"she began.

"Your eyes will adjust in time, Carly," she heard Hikari say. "Welcome to our home. This is what we call the Eye of Destiny. It is here that we could see visions of the future."

As Carly's eyes slowly adjusted to the bright colours, she could see what Hikari meant. Each portal seemed like a vision into another world. Were they really visions on the future?

Other shapes were forming around Carly. Her heart leapt as she recognised them. Her other fortune ladies really were here! They gathered around Carly, offering their greetings.

"It is good to see you again, Carly," said Fortune Lady Earth.

"And it is good to see you looking so well," said Fortune Lady Water. Carly was stunned.

"How is this possible?" she breathed. They all smiled at her.

"It honours us, Carly, for us to finally be able to bring you here," said Hikari. "After all the time we have spent in your world, we are glad for you to finally see ours, and for us to have the power to bring you here."

"It's… it's beautiful," said Carly, looking around. "It's hard to take it all in."

"You are the first human to visit our home. We are not sure whether most human minds could handle the chaotic nature of this place, unless they possessed the strength to focus their mind. It is why we chose you in the first place."

"Wait, what… what do you mean, you chose me?"

Hikari smiled at her, before beginning her tale.

* * *

"We chose you long ago, when you were still very young," began Hikari. "Your kindness and concern for others was evident, and we valued your honesty and enthusiasm. We knew you were going to be someone special, Carly. It was then that we bonded ourselves to you, to guide you and give you the strength to succeed."

"What do you mean, bonded?" asked Carly.

"We linked our spirits to yours. Through bonds with humans, spirits can share their powers. While we had little power to share with you, we could at least give you strength and determination to pursue your dreams, and that made us happy for you. We managed to help you many times."

"You've helped me since I was young? But how? The earliest memory I have of you was when I became a Dark Signer. I don't remember you at all before that."

Hikari smiled. "Not in our current forms, perhaps. But remember, we were not always fortune ladies."

Carly tried to work out what Hikari had said in her mind. Her fortune ladies had come about because of her transformation. But before that…

She gasped as it became clear to her.

"You're my fortune fairies!"

They all smiled, confirming her suspicions. They were all here; An, now Dark; Chi, now Earth; En, now Fire; Fu, now Wind; Sui, now Water; and Hikari, now Light.

"That is right, Carly," said Hikari. "Even after we were transformed, we kept our identities, and our names. As I said, we were not able to offer you great power as fortune fairies, but we could remind you that you had the strength inside yourself to keep going. Even when you drew your fortune and you weren't happy with what you had drawn, it was really just the card you needed to help you in that situation."

Carly wasn't sure if she could believe that.

"Even the unlucky ones?" she asked doubtfully.

"Even the unlucky ones," confirmed Chi, the spirit of Fortune Lady Earth. "When you drew me, while it was the worst possible result in your mind, I was the one to remind you of your own strength when you needed it the most."

Carly was still trying to process all that they were saying, and it was starting to make her a little dizzy. Hikari noticed her distress.

"I think it is time to go back to your world, now. It will take time for you to adjust to us, and to here."

"Wait," cried Carly. "Just tell me two more things. First, what happened with Divine? How did you manage to fight him off?"

"We are part of you, Carly," replied Hikari. "More so than ever, now. We did not want Divine to harm you. He is powerful, as is his spirit, but we managed to protect you."

"Divine's spirit? Does he have one as well?"

"Yes, although he is not aware of it yet. Alas, our time grows short. What was the second question you wanted to ask?"

Carly tried to think.

"You mentioned you were transformed. When I became a Dark Signer? What happened?"

"We absorbed some of the power from the Earthbound god when you were revived," replied Hikari. "It made us as you see us now, significantly more powerful than our former selves, though unfortunately we were still too weak to contest the underworld's control over you. We managed to help clear your mind once or twice, but that was all we could do for you while you were under its control."

Carly's mind was reeling. Her head was starting to ache badly, and the blaze of colour around her was getting a little blurry.

"It is time to leave here, Carly," said Hikari. "I am sorry. But remember, we will always be with you, and you can come here whenever you wish, now."

Carly tried to bid farewell to her spirit friends as the world of the fortune ladies faded to black around her.

* * *

Carly awoke with a start.

She was back in her bed in the orphanage. Her head hurt and she felt a little nauseous. It was still night outside.

She lay there, thinking. She had seen the spirits of her fortune ladies. They had been her fortune fairies, before the transformation. They had been watching her for so long, trying to help her. And they had been caught up in the underworld's power, just as she was.

Carly picked up her glasses and deck from the table beside her bed, and began drawing cards. Her first six cards were fortune ladies, starting with Earth and descending in level order until reaching Light. As she held up Fortune Lady Light's card, she could have sworn the card had blinked at her.

Her seventh card was Future Visions. The card looked just like the Eye of Destiny. Home of the Fortune Ladies.

_What does this mean_, she wondered as she lay back on the bed. How were these spirits bonded to her? What did she mean by, it would take time to adjust to them?

_It is because we are with you, now_, she heard Hikari's voice say. _We will protect you, always_.

Despite the thoughts racing through Carly's head, a feeling of peace came over her at hearing Hikari's voice, and she was asleep the next moment.

* * *

Ruka walked through the tall trees of the Ancient Forest. The forest seemed colder and darker than it had before. The trees seemed to loom over her, and in some places they looked brown and unhealthy.

What had happened here? Had the corruption Ancient Fairy Dragon mentioned done all this? The whole forest could be affected before long, if it spread this quickly. It seemed worse than when the forest was affected by the Minus Curse.

Out of the corner of her eye Ruka thought she saw movement. The light here was dimmer than she remembered, and cast flickering shadows in some places.

_That must have been what I saw_, she thought. _Just a shadow_.

"You should be careful," said a voice. "The forest is getting dangerous to walk around in."

Ruka jumped, looking around for whoever had spoken. Looking behind her, she saw a young girl walking out from behind one of the larger black pines. She wore a simple green dress, and bright red hair flowed down her back, pulled back by a green headband. She didn't look more than about ten or eleven.

"Who are you?" asked Ruka.

"I'm Lilly!" replied the girl, smiling. "Who are you? I've never seen you around here before."

"I'm Ruka," she answered. "I haven't seen you here before either."

"I only came here recently," said the girl. "I love the trees. This place always seems so peaceful. But the bad things are hurting more and more trees each time I come here."

"What bad things?" asked Ruka. Lilly's smile faded, and her green eyes took on a haunted look.

"The bad things in the forest's heart," she whispered. "Black shadows, the fallen ones. They enter the trees and they die."

Black shadows? Ruka thought she must mean the corruption. Were they the ones killing the trees? She remembered Regulus had mentioned some of the spirits of the forest had been corrupted by this evil; were these shadows what they had been turned into?

"Have you seen any other life around?" she asked. "Other spirits?"

"No," replied Lilly sadly. "Not anymore. They all left. There's just the shadows now. Don't let them touch you."

Ruka shook her head. It saddened her to learn how much the forest had suffered under this corruption. What was the source of it? _We must find out_, she thought.

"Ruka!" said a familiar voice. Ruka looked up in delight. Ancient Fairy Dragon was flying down towards her, Kuribon close behind.

"Ancient Fairy Dragon, Kuribon, am I glad to see you," she said happily. Kuriboh squeaked at her in welcome.

"I am glad to see you too, little one," said Ancient Fairy Dragon. "But you must take care. The trees around here are suffering from the forest's corruption. This place is dangerous, now. I would not want something to happen to you."

"I will be careful," replied Ruka sadly. "We have some good news; we might have figured out who is responsible for all this. We're not sure how to get to him, though."

"That is good news, Ruka. I'm sure you will figure out what to do next. For now, however, I'm happy to tell you that we have made some success here too. We've managed to stop the spread of the corruption. We only succeeded because the influence from the human world has stopped, but regardless, we have managed to contain it."

Ruka looked around at the trees. They looked worse than ever. The corruption didn't seem to have stopped at all.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," she began doubtfully. "But it wasn't through anything we've done. We came across the man here in our world, but he got away."

"Regardless," replied Ancient Fairy Dragon. "The forest is stable, at least for now. The fighting continues, but otherwise, the forest is stable."

"There's fighting?" asked Ruka, alarmed.

"Yes," the dragon admitted. "Spirit is fighting spirit. We can't get close enough to the forest's heart to tell exactly what is corrupting it; there are too many spirits in our path. It is dreadful, Ruka. Those that have fallen to the corruption are like mere shadows of their former selves. Even the angels have been affected. Some of them I have known for many centuries in your reckoning. It breaks my heart to have to fight against them."

It sounded horrible. Ruka shivered at the idea of fairies fighting each other and turning into shadows. That's when she remembered; that other girl had mentioned shadows. Ruka turned around to ask her if they were the same shadows she had seen, but the girl had gone. Ruka had not heard her leave.

"What is it, Ruka?" asked Ancient Fairy Dragon.

"I was just talking to a girl, here. Said her name was Lilly. She had red hair."

Ancient Fairy Dragon looked at her. "Ruka, there is nobody here but the three of us," she replied. "I did not see any other girl here."

Ruka could have sworn she had seen her. Where had she gone?

* * *

Divine seethed as he stalked down the corridor towards his office.

Where was she? She was supposed to be coordinating the setup of Site R, but he couldn't find her anywhere. _Something had better not have happened to her_, he thought. He knew that his brainwashing efforts on her weren't working properly – indeed they seemed less effective than before – but he refused to believe they would fail just yet.

He saw Okita just ahead.

"Okita! Where is the Crimson Lady!" demanded Divine. The psychic jumped and turned to him, flustered.

"D-Divine! Err… I th-thought sh-she was reporting to you at th-this moment!" he stammered.

Divine swept past him, continuing down the corridor. _The fool_, he thought. Okita had few redeeming qualities, and Divine wondered if keeping him in the movement was worthwhile.

Still, resources were scarce at the moment, until he could strengthen their position. They had salvaged painfully little from the headquarters. For the moment, they would have to bide their time and rebuild. Those three would be his, eventually. He would enjoy the prospect of Carly working for them; it was a fitting revenge, after she had failed to kill him. Aki would be easy to turn back to them; she was no stronger emotionally than she had been before. And he believed the girl Ruka still had her link to the spirits; if she did, she would be important to their research.

He snapped out of his thoughts as he saw her waiting outside his office. She handed him a large file, which he took and opened.

It was a financial ledger. The movement's accountant, Otaki, had summarised their finances and concluded that most was going as expected; but Divine grimly noted his last words in his summary.

_It seemed Godwin was aware of more of our investors than we had expected, and we no longer have access to their accounts. At least a third of our reserve funds are no longer available._

Divine felt his anger rising. He had been counting on those funds. This would set him back even more. Would nothing go his way?

"It seems our vengeance will have to wait a little longer, then," he complained.

"You promised me the Signers," she addressed him coldly. Her green eyes smouldered with hatred as they met his gaze. "Do not break that promise, human. My master's patience will only last so long."

_Those eyes would have daunted many_, Divine thought, _but not me_. It was time to remind her of her place.

"I will meet our bargain, as I told you," he said quietly. "Until then, you will follow my orders, and you will NOT discuss this further! Are we agreed?"

She stared at him a moment longer before nodding.

"It is agreed," was all she said. She did not break her gaze.

_It _is_ failing again_, he thought as he entered his office. He would have to talk with Seria about that. It was already time for a fresh indoctrination. There was no telling how long it would last, but she had become his greatest servant now; he could not risk her abandoning him, not when so much needed to be done.


	20. Chapter 20 - Sharing

Chapter 20: Sharing

* * *

Carly awoke.

She stretched, yawning. She felt energised, as if after had the best sleep she'd had in days. Even with the strange dreams she'd had.

But of course, they weren't really dreams. They were visions of her fortune ladies. Divine had almost taken her yesterday, but they had saved her. And Carly's connection to them went deeper than simply being the cards in her fortune deck; by their own admission, they had been with her for most of her life, even if she hadn't realised it.

As she headed out into the orphanage's dining room for breakfast, she was greeted by the twins.

"Hi, Carly!" said Rua and Ruka in unison.

Carly smiled and was about to reply when she saw something hovering next to Ruka. It was a strange creature; it looked like a round ball of fur, with a long tail upon which was a large red bow.

"Carly, what is it?" Ruka asked.

"What is that next to you?" asked Carly, pointing. The creature turned to face her, looking at her with large green eyes.

"Next to me? Oh, that's Kuribon," replied Ruka. "You can see her too? Actually, that would make sense, after… after what happened yesterday."

"You can see monster spirits too?" asked Rua. "That's so cool!"

"I-I guess so," Carly replied hesitantly. The creature squeaked at her in greeting. Carly raised her hand in reply, trying to smile. So she could see duel monster spirits now?

"Ah, Carly," said Martha, entering the room. "How are you today?"

"Good, thank you, Martha," she said. "I'm hoping that today I can finally get in touch with Ushio, now that the storm has blown through."

That was her first chore of the day, at least. She had a lot of stuff to send through to him for her boss, but she secretly wanted the latest news from the city, too. _And to find out if I've still got a job_, she thought glumly.

* * *

With the storm gone, they finally managed to establish a link with Ushio's office without trouble. Carly breathed a sigh of relief when he answered the call.

"Hello, Carly," he said, smiling. "It's good to hear from you again."

"Likewise," she replied. "We've been worried. We couldn't contact you for a few days, and then the storm prevented us from establishing a connection."

Ushio's expression became grim. "We had a situation at the Facility with a prison break," he explained. "We have it contained, now, but it took several days to resolve. It was pretty bad."

"So he was right," said Carly. "It was Divine, wasn't it?"

"Yes," he replied, surprised. "We don't know what happened, but we discovered some of his Arcadia members had got into the Facility and released him. But, how did you know? Are you guys ok?"

"Yes," Carly replied. "He paid a visit to us here in Satellite, but don't worry, we're all safe."

"He was in Satellite?" asked a startled Ushio. "How did he get there?"

"He's a psychic duellist. Getting here wasn't an issue for him; he has some sort of teleport ability."

"Just great," Ushio sighed. "So he could be anywhere. We had wondered what happened to him. He and his Arcadia affiliates seem to have disappeared."

"Disappeared?" asked Carly, shocked. "How do you mean?"

"Well, we made an attempt to re-enter the Facility after several days of containment, only to find it abandoned. Completely. No Divine, no psychics. And most disturbing of all, no prisoners. We had the place surrounded, but somehow he had managed to get all his people out without us noticing."

"So you're right," said Carly. "He could literally be anywhere."

Ushio nodded grimly.

"We suspect he's still in the city somewhere; he needs his infrastructure here to continue his operations, as far as I know. But enough of that. I'm just glad that you guys are ok. I know he has a grudge against Yusei and Aki, but I'm glad you and Martha and the others haven't been harmed."

Ushio obviously didn't realise that Divine had in fact been after her as well, but Carly decided not to mention it. There wasn't any need to cause Ushio any more concern.

"We're taking precautions here just in case he comes back," she said. "But I'm not sure what else we can do other than that. On another subject, I do have some more articles for you to deliver, if you don't mind. That is, unless my boss has fired me again. I've been out of contact for a long time."

"I'll take them for you, Carly," replied Ushio, smiling. "I'm sure your boss will be happy to read them."

As Carly began to send her articles over the data link to Ushio's terminal, she thought about what he had said. Divine was based somewhere in the city then, most likely; but how did he get out of the Facility? Was he powerful enough to simply teleport everyone out? And what happened to all the prisoners? Surely Divine would not have recruited them all into his movement.

And if Ruka was right and Divine was behind the corruption of the spirit world, as well, then he was the cause of all their problems. Not to mention he was well and truly out of reach in the city, at least for her and the others.

_So, what can we do from here_, she wondered.

* * *

"Finally, good weather!" said Jack happily they sped along the old highway. "We can finally get out for a ride again!"

"Is that all you ever think about?" she joked, looking at him, her D-wheel keeping pace with his. "No, don't answer that. It's not all you think about. Occasionally you think about duelling, too!"

Jack grinned in response. "See? I'm not so complicated, am I?"

They fell silent. Carly knew it was hard to keep cheerful when there was someone out there who wanted you dead. Or worse; being a 'recruit' of the Arcadia Movement would be no better a fate for her than when she'd been a Dark Signer. She was worried about Jack too, worried that he would do something brave – or stupid – and she'd end up losing him again because of it.

As they cleared the highway, she pulled up her D-wheel at the side of the road. It was still unpainted; they had left the colour and design up to her, since it seemed to be quickly becoming HER D-wheel, and she hadn't made up her mind yet.

_But this isn't the time to be thinking about that_, Carly thought as Jack pulled up beside her. _I need to be honest about my feelings, here, before we go any further._

"Jack, I don't want you to get caught up in this," she told him. "He's quite capable of following through on his threats. Promise me you'll stay out of it. I don't want you to get hurt, or worse."

"I've seen what he can do," he replied. "With Aki, with the twins, and now with you. You heard what I said; this is my own decision. I spent two years being manipulated by Godwin because of my own weaknesses. I'm not going to let this man manipulate me as well. I won't let him get to you, Carly. I will protect you the best way I know how."

"By duelling him?" she asked, smiling. He grinned in return.

"You know it! It's what I do. I don't have any special power or psychic stuff like you or Aki do, so I'll just have to rely on my duelling skills, my fists and my good looks!"

They both laughed at that. Carly could tell when he was trying to make her feel better, and she always appreciated it.

"I suppose this how you felt back in the city," she said. "Before I went to infiltrate the movement, when you told me to stay out of the conflict with the Dark Signers."

"Yeah, and look how that turned out," he said, trying to make a joke, before realising what he had actually said. "Well, what I mean is, you didn't stay out of it, just like I'm not staying out of this."

Even though he was trying to be funny, Carly thought he had made a good point. She hadn't listened to Jack that night, hadn't kept her nose out of his conflict with the Dark Signers, and she'd ended up dead. And of course, that had only been the beginning of her nightmares. She certainly didn't want Jack to end up the same way; but could she really try to stop him, after the point he had made about her?

"So you can see duel monster spirits now?" asked Jack, obviously trying to change the subject.

"You overheard that, did you?" she remarked, looking at him. "Well it's true, I guess. It's all very complicated."

"What's complicated about it?" he asked. "You can see things other people can't. While it sounds odd, I know more about this sort of stuff now and I can accept it."

"It's more than that, Jack."

And with that, she began the tale of how she met Hikari.

* * *

Jack wasn't sure what to make of Carly's story, as they sped back towards the orphanage.

He had been honest when he said to her that he knew more about these spirits than he used to. But he still had no real idea what she had been talking about. These fortune lady spirits were linked to her and protected her, and had helped her when she had been a Dark Signer? And they'd done so for many years? Jack had never seen any indication of this before.

"So, how long have these spirits been connected to you?" he asked, trying to clarify.

"I don't know exactly, but they said I was very young when they first linked with me," Carly replied.

"And they helped you against Divine yesterday?"

"I still don't remember what happened, though they said that I would remember eventually. But yes, they had something to do with protecting me."

Jack still couldn't make sense of it. He was used to dealing with things of THIS world; he still wasn't comfortable dealing with this spirit world stuff. Maybe he was better leaving that up to her.

Just then, Carly pulled up her D-wheel at the side of the road.

"What is it, Carly?" he asked, pulling up beside her. She didn't reply immediately; her head was cocked to one side, as if listening.

"Carly?" he prompted. What was she doing?

Carly remained silent a moment longer, before nodding slowly and getting off her D-wheel. She turned to face him, a determined expression on her face. Jack recognised that expression; she was preparing to do something difficult, something she wasn't entirely sure about.

"Hikari wants to talk to you," she said. "I think she will try to talk through me, like she did to Divine yesterday. She said to tell you 'not to be alarmed by what happens'."

"She wants to talk to me, through you, and not to be alarmed? What—"Jack began.

Behind her glasses, a yellow glow began to emanate from Carly's eyes.

"Carly! What's happening!" he yelled, as the air in front of her began to twist and warp. A small yellow ball of light flared into life, expanding into a humanoid shape Jack recognised; it was Fortune Lady Light.

"Are…are you Hikari?" he asked, trying to keep calm and not to stare at this woman. Was she really a duel monster spirit?

"Yes," she replied. "I wanted to show myself to you, Jack. I could hear the uncertainty in your voice when you were asking Carly about us, and I wanted to put that to rest."

"I…see," he said awkwardly, looking over at Carly. She hadn't moved a muscle. "Is Carly ok? What is happening to her?"

"It is difficult for her to manifest me, as she still getting used to her abilities. But it will get easier for her, in time. For now, Jack, I will tell you this: she needs you to protect her. We will do what we can for her, but we need your help as well. Please keep her safe."

Hikari smiled, before her form wavered and disappeared. The glow faded from Carly's eyes, and she staggered briefly before rubbing her head.

"I have had enough of this dizziness," she remarked. "So, did it work? Did you see her?"

"I saw her," Jack replied slowly. "You don't remember anything?"

"No, nothing. I think she said it would take a while before I would start to remember, but it's still annoying."

Jack nodded. So this was the spirit that protected Carly? Or in her case, one of the spirits?

"What does this mean for… us?" he asked her quietly. "With these… spirits watching over you like this?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But I don't think much has changed. I don't really feel a lot different than before. What do you think about it?"

Jack smiled. "Yeah, you're right. I don't think much has changed. Except that now I might have to share my girlfriend with her spirit friends."

"Isn't life hard?" she joked, smiling at him sweetly. "But I'm sure you'll manage."

As they began to head back to the orphanage again, Jack couldn't help but agree with her. He didn't really like sharing that much, but he thought he could accept it. Just this once.

* * *

As they arrived back at the orphanage, Carly saw a familiar looking figure standing outside. It was Kiryu; he was up and walking on his ankle at last, although he still needed a crutch to move about.

"Good to see you up and about, finally," laughed Jack. Kiryu returned his smile.

"It's good to be moving around again. After being cooped up in that room for a week, I could use the fresh air."

"As I recall, you never did like sitting around waiting for things to happen."

Kiryu nodded. "Too right. Besides, I need to build my strength back up," he said, looking at Carly. "I hear you met somebody yesterday you've had problems with in the past."

"I did," said Carly, losing her smile. "I'd hoped to never see him again, but it seems I'm not to be that lucky."

"You'll be safe here," said Kiryu. "We'll make sure that if he ever turns up in Satellite again, he won't feel very welcome."

"Leave this to us, Kiryu," warned Jack. "At least until you're fully healed. We can handle him. With all of us here, Carly will be safe."

Kiryu laughed. "You sound like Yusei, talking about bonds of friendship."

"It took me a long time, but I think I finally understand what he was talking about," said Jack, smiling.

"I think I might be starting to get what he meant as well, now. Well, if this Divine does come back, we'll show him what happens when you mess with Team Satisfaction. Carly deserves no less, after how she's helped me."

Carly couldn't help but laugh. With her friends here, and with Hikari and the other fortune ladies watching over her, she truly felt safe for the first time since Divine had returned.

_He had better watch out_, she thought. _If he thinks he'll get his way here in Satellite, he's going to find out how wrong he is_.


	21. Chapter 21 - The Gift

Chapter 21: The Gift

* * *

The Eye of Destiny was starting to become a little more familiar now. The bright rainbow of colours here still seemed as intense as ever, but Carly's eyes were adjusting better to her surroundings.

She had come here every night, since her first visit. She wasn't sure how she did it, but she suspected her fortune ladies were guiding her here while she was asleep. Carly thought their power was also aiding her in other ways, such as helping her eyes adjust to the colour. Their home seemed to exist in a vacuum, of sorts; in between the bright blue galaxies she could see empty black space that seemed to go on forever. She could breathe normally though, so this place wasn't a vacuum in the usual sense.

There was no solid ground anywhere, so Carly simply floated where she was. She had managed to figure out that by focusing her thoughts on moving in a direction, she could start moving that way, and through that discovery she had begun to explore this strange environment.

"It has been good for us to finally return here, Carly," said Hikari, appearing beside her. "Our powers are returning. It makes us happy for you to finally be able to talk to us, too. Even though we have been with you for so long, it is only now that we have been able to meet."

"You never explained why I can see you here, but not in my world. Why is that?" asked Carly. She still had no recollection of her fortune ladies appearing in the struggle with Divine a few days ago; she thought the memories would have returned by now.

Hikari glanced sadly at Carly before looking away. That surprised Carly; she almost looked guilty. A duel spirit, looking guilty? Maybe she wasn't going to like the answer to her question.

"It is much easier to manifest ourselves here, in the Eye of Destiny, than it is in the human world," she began, facing Carly again. "This used to be our home, and we are still attuned to it. But in the human world, we cannot manifest unless you allow it. It is a difficult exercise for you, still, but with focus it can be done. It will get easier, as well, as you grow used to us."

"What do you mean by manifesting?" asked Carly. "I don't quite understand. Ruka's companion spirit Kuribon stays next to her just about all the time, even though there aren't many who can see it. But I never see you or the others appear in the same way."

"It is difficult to explain. Manifesting allows us to exist in your world, to manipulate it and to be seen by everyone else. Ruka's spirit is an example of a spirit which is not manifesting; it can only be seen by those with the talent, and cannot directly affect the human world. But it is not only about manifesting, Carly. Our relationship is different; Ruka shares a bond with her spirit, but our spirits are a part of yours. We are inseparable, both parts of a whole."

"Your spirits are… are a part of mine? What do you mean?"

Hikari smiled. "To help you understand, let me tell you of how we bought you back to life."

* * *

They came to a stop, the dazzling galaxies dancing in Carly's eyes as Hikari spoke.

"As you know, when you lost your duel with Jack, the power of the underworld was driven from you, and you died once again. Your spirit would have departed the human world, and we would likely have followed you, for we still kept our bond with you. But we could not accept your fate. We had been with you for so long in our fairy forms, trying to inspire you to chase your dreams, but now we had the power to really help you reach them. We could not accept that your life had to end so tragically, and so abruptly, before we could do that.

"That was when we made the choice to bring you back. All of us were in agreement. You deserved another chance at life; a chance to reach your dreams, and be with those you loved."

Carly could not believe it. She was speechless.

"It was…it was you that bought me… back to life?" she whispered. "After… after I died? H-how?"

For an instant, Hikari's smile faded, but just as quickly it returned.

"When we attempted to bring you back, we discovered returning the spirit of a human to their former life requires incredible power, a power we could not match. Even when we combined our strength, we still lacked enough energy to bring you back. We were faced with one last option, an alternative from which we could not turn back from; if we attempted it, it would cost us greatly. But we did not want to give up on you, Carly, and so we made our choice to take that option."

"What was this option?" Carly demanded. It awed her that these spirits had created such a bond with her and cared so much for her, but what had they done?

"It required us to merge our spirits with yours," Hikari replied, almost sadly.

"You had to…merge spirits?"

"Every human has a spirit, a soul, with which we can form a bond," she explained. "However, what we did was fuse our spirits with yours, making us one being. It was the only way we could gain the power to return you to life – and even then, it was barely enough – but in return we had to give up ourselves. All that we were – our powers and memories, our identities – now exist only within you, Carly."

Carly stared the spirit of Fortune Lady Light. She did not expect she could become any more confused and speechless than she was before, but this… this was too much to grasp.

"Within me?" she asked. "You had to… had to… what does this mean?"

Hikari smiled reassuringly, and suddenly Carly understood everything she meant. The thoughts came to her unbidden, explaining in perfect clarity, as if another mind inside her knew all that had happened.

Hikari was a duel monster spirit, an otherworldly creature; ageless and immortal, and free from the concerns of humans. But she had given up that spirit – effectively her own soul, if it was anything like a human soul – by merging it with Carly's own. All just to give Carly another chance at her mortal, human life.

The implications of what she had done struck Carly like a hammer blow. She stared at Hikari's smiling face in shock. Hikari continued to smile, trying to reassure her, but it only made Carly feel worse.

If she had solid ground beneath her feet, Carly was sure she would have collapsed where she stood. Instead, she hung in the empty space as tears began to roll down her face. Hikari knelt beside her, placing her arm over Carly's shoulders, comforting her as best she could.

"I can't…" Carly stammered. "I…I can't believe you would…you would…"

She coughed and sniffed as the tears continued to flow. She couldn't get the words out.

"I-I can't believe you would… you would do that…for…for me…" she whispered. She couldn't find the words. How could she put it into words, what Hikari had done for her? What it had cost her?

"It was a price we would always have paid, Carly," said Hikari. "All of us."

The other fortune ladies appeared in a circle around Carly, their faces full of sympathy. Carly blinked at them through her tears.

"You…you all…did this?" she asked quietly. Hikari smiled again.

"All of us," she repeated. "We would not have succeeded if any of us had second thoughts, but none of us wanted to be left out; all of us wanted to bring you back."

In Carly's mind came the image of the six fortune ladies surrounding her, their forms merging into hers one after the other, until she was alone. All of them had sacrificed themselves for her, not just Hikari.

All of them. Six lives, just to bring back her one.

The image was too much for Carly, and she broke down and wept as Hikari continued to hold her.

* * *

It was hard to tell time here, in the Eye. Carly knew time had passed, but she had no idea how long she had spent weeping.

All of her fortune ladies still surrounded her, these beings that had traded their own lives to give Carly a second chance at hers. A part of her still couldn't believe it, couldn't accept it. She was surprised at how it made her feel so… angry. How could they do this?

"Now you understand," stated Hikari. "We are a part of you, now. We share your spirit. We know your thoughts. And we know you think our sacrifice was too much."

"You're damned right I think that!" Carly yelled at her. "You gave up your own lives, your own souls, to bring me back! You gave up everything you were, for me! It's too much!"

She collapsed back into weeping, her moment of anger ended.

"You've given me a second chance I don't know I deserve. How could you do that, for me? How could you sacrifice so much, just for me?"

"You deserve it more than anyone, Carly," replied Fu, the spirit of Fortune Lady Wind. "We all agreed to make our sacrifice, because of you. And we would again, if we had to make the same choice in the future. We did it because you deserve it. You, of all people, deserve it."

Carly looked at her hands. They were shaking.

"I don't… I don't know what to feel. It's…overwhelming. What you did for me… why do I feel so angry about it?"

"Because you do not think your life is worth the price we paid," replied An, the spirit of Fortune Lady Dark. "It is a part of your nature, Carly, to question yourself and your worth; but you do deserve us, and in time I think you will come to understand that."

Carly shook her head. It was true that she had trouble believing in herself sometimes, but this was too much. That someone would sacrifice their life like this, just to give her another chance to live her own…

"You must be strong now, Carly," said Chi, the spirit of Fortune Lady Earth. "You are together with Jack again. You can follow your dreams again. But you have to accept what we have done for you. We have given you this second chance, but it is up to you to make the most of it."

Carly looked at her. She had always feared drawing Fortune Fairy Chi; it was her worst fortune. But it had never stopped her moving forward, only given her more determination to keep going.

It gave her strength. That was what Chi was doing now, as well.

She was right. They were right. This was her second chance. Whether or not she felt she deserved what they had done for her, they had given her this chance, to see Jack again and to live her life again. Whether or not the cost had been too great, they had given her this gift, and she had to make the most of it.

Taking in a deep breath, Carly forced herself to float upright, wiping her eyes.

"You are right," she said. "You have all given me a tremendous gift, one I could never hope to repay. I still don't know if I will be worthy of it, but I will try. I will make it count!"

Carly could feel her voice gaining in strength as she spoke. As she finished, they smiled at her, as if they had known all along what she would say. And Carly knew that they would react that way.

They really did seem to know each other's thoughts. Maybe she didn't even need to speak aloud to communicate with them. Still, Carly decided to talk to them anyway. It seemed easier for her mind to work with for the moment.

"You still have more questions," said Hikari. "Let us give you the answers to them."

Carly nodded, and the other fortune lady spirits disappeared they resumed their flight through the void. She continued to wipe tears from her eyes. She still couldn't believe what they had done for her, but she did still have questions; focusing on those might take her mind off her guilt and sorrow, for now.

"Well, here's my first question. From what I remember from Yusei, the Crimson Dragon revived all the Dark Signers after they were defeated, except Rex and Rudger themselves. If that's true, then why were you the ones to bring me back and not the Crimson Dragon?"

"That is true," replied Hikari. "And the Crimson Dragon would have bought you back, as well. But we had already chosen to do it ourselves, because of the visions we saw here, Carly. We saw that, if we were not the ones to bring you back to life, you would die."

"Die? How?"

"Divine would kill you."

Carly gaped at her briefly, before shuddering. Of course Divine would want her dead. She had just about killed him as a Dark Signer, and destroyed his power base in the process. And he had already proven that even prison wouldn't stop him chasing revenge.

"But, because you bought me back, Divine won't kill me?"

"Not necessarily. It does not mean that we would be able to save you when he made his attempt on your life, Carly. It only meant that with us, you had a chance."

"I see. But, he made his attempt, right? The other day?"

"Possibly," replied Hikari. "The vision we saw did not give us an idea of when, only that it would happen. It may refer to what happened a few days ago, or another time in the future."

_Great_, she thought. So her life was still in danger from Divine. But she had to admit that as long as Divine was out there, planning his next move, her life was at risk anyway. At least now, with the protection of her fortune ladies, she might be able to resist him.

She had heard enough about Divine for one day. It was time to ask a different question.

"What happened? After you… bought me back?" she asked next. It still unsettled her, the idea of coming back from the dead; and for the second time, no less.

"We managed to bring you back into this world, back to the place you would be safest; your apartment. But as I said, we had barely enough power to succeed in our task. Afterwards, we were left…'dormant', I suppose is the word. We were left dormant, deeply asleep inside of you, until our strength began to return.

"The process also affected your memory, which we did not foresee. Of your time with us as fortune ladies, you would not remember, again until our strength began to return."

Carly considered. She must be talking about her Dark Signer memories, and the memories of her trip to the Arcadia building. It had taken a few days for them all to return, and of course by then she was in Satellite.

"You got your power back in the end, though. How did it return?"

"Through your emotions, Carly. Emotions can affect the strength of a bond; the more powerful the emotion, the stronger the connection. Spirits draw strength off human emotion, and it was your emotions which helped our power return. You even managed to tap into some of it yourself, although it was still too much for you to control at the time."

"Do you mean, back in that alleyway? That was me, tapping into your power?"

"Our power, Carly," corrected Hikari. "But yes, that was the power you summoned to defend yourself. From then on, you could bring it forth when your emotions were strong; but you could not control it yourself, and so it came forth whether you intended it to do so or not. And we could not aid you, for were still dormant inside of you. It was only when Divine tried to capture you that your emotions woke us from our slumber, and gave us the power to defend you from him."

Carly nodded slowly as she thought over what Hikari had said. She could at least sort of understand what had happened, now. Her fortune ladies really had defended her from Divine. Or rather, she had defended herself. It was going to take a while to stop thinking of herself and her fortune ladies as separate beings, now. The idea still didn't sit right with her.

"So, does this mean we can control this power now?" she asked, desperately hoping for an affirmative answer.

"Yes, Carly. Now that we have awoken, you have all the abilities we do. You can see spirits now, and travel between the human and spirit worlds. And you can use our power in duels, if you deem it necessary, but you will not harm anyone you do not wish to harm."

"So, what is this power, exactly?" she asked, curious. "Is it psychic power?"

"Psychic power is a human term for it, but it is often misleading," replied Hikari. "All of the psychics that we know of get their power from bonds with spirits, but very few of them actually realise they have such a bond. They have the power, however, as spirits are drawn to exceptional individuals. Your friend Aki is one such person."

Carly gasped. "Do you mean Aki has a similar ability to mine?"

"Yes. She already has power as a Signer, and has a natural bond with her Signer Dragon, but her bond with Black Rose Dragon is especially powerful. Its effects have been evident through Aki's life. As I mentioned, emotion can strengthen the bond, even if that emotion is anger or hatred."

Carly shivered at the thought. Had Black Rose Dragon simply been trying to protect Aki, in times of high emotion? Or had Aki been tapping into its power without realising it?

Hikari's mention of emotion reminded her of another question she had, though it meant talking about Divine again.

"You said Divine has a spirit as well?"

"Yes," replied Hikari. "He has a bond with the spirit of Thought Ruler Archfiend. He is not aware of it, but it feeds on his hatred and his anger and gives him great power."

"How is he unaware of it?" asked Carly.

"Not all spirits have good intentions. Some see humans as tools, and have ambitions of dominating or even destroying the human world. Thought Ruler Archfiend drives Divine into greater depths of rage and cruelty. You know the effects of it first-hand."

"I do," admitted Carly. With the knowledge of them having their own spirit partners, she was not so different from Aki now, or even Divine; but she knew she didn't have the pasts that they'd had, and that she'd always wanted to help people. Now she could, in more ways than she ever expected.

"So, if all six of you are sharing my spirit now, why do I talk with you the most? I remember Fortune Fairy Chi – now Fortune Lady Earth – was the strongest in terms of level, with you the weakest; but I talk with you the most and rely on your help the most."

"That's because I was the one you had the strongest relationship with," replied Hikari, smiling. "As a fortune fairy, I always improved your mood and made you happy. Before we merged with you, I had the strongest bond with you, and I believe that is why I am by your side most often."

Carly smiled in response as they continued through the jumble of vision portals and blue blazing galaxies. She was right; as a fortune fairy, Hikari had always made her feel happy, and she was glad to have such a strong bond with her in particular. Not that she felt any less about her other fortune ladies; she was grateful to every one of them for bringing her back to life.

Bringing her back to life, at the cost of their own lives. She was still awestruck at what they had done, the second chance they had given her. She would make the most of it, for them.

One of the vision portals caught her eye, and Carly stopped to examine it more closely. It featured two people; the man in front was obviously Divine, with that scar. The other one standing behind him was a girl; the black hooded robe she wore obscured her features, but Carly could see long red hair poking out from under the hood.

What was the significance of this vision? Carly had never seen the girl before; was she working with Divine?

"You have access to these visions now, Carly," said Hikari, still beside her. "You can come here whenever you wish, and you can now see what we used to see."

"I can really see the future here?" she asked.

"The visions here can offer a glimpse into the future," admitted Hikari. "The future, however, is not set in stone. It can be changed by actions in the present. What we see here is only a glimpse of what _might_ happen."

"Then your vision of Divine killing me may not occur after all?"

"It may not, but we knew it might. And we knew that given your history with him, it was even more likely. We did not want to lose you again; we wanted to give you a chance of survival, if he showed up."

Carly nodded. She thought she could understand their desire to maintain their bond with her, and protect her from people like Divine.

Her gaze returned to the vision portal. Divine was still out there. What was he planning?

* * *

The next day dawned brilliantly sunny and clear. Carly sat up in her bed, stretching.

Once again, she felt energised, as she had every morning after she'd visited the Eye of Destiny in her dreams. She understood why, now; the spirits inside of her needed to visit there to recover their strength, and they could reach the Eye through her dreams. They truly were a part of her, now.

She had talked with Hikari and the other fortune ladies for some time before leaving the Eye that night. Their sacrifice gave Carly a new sense of purpose; this was her second chance at life, and it had come at tremendous cost to them. She was going to make the most out of their gift to her. She was going to build a future for herself with Jack, and she was going to help Aki deal with her past.

But that wasn't all. Carly was going to deal with Divine and whatever he had planned, for her and for all of them.

Her cheeks were wet. Had she been crying in her sleep? The gift her fortune ladies had given her still touched Carly deeply. But they were right. It was time to accept what they had given her, and move forward. She wiped away the tears.

Carly drew a card from her deck for her fortune, and smiled. It was Inherited Fortune. It felt appropriate; she had the gift of the fortune ladies, now. And somewhere, in the back of her mind, she had known she was going to draw that card.

Putting the card back into her deck, she grabbed her duel disk and left the bedroom. Carly felt like a duel this morning; a real duel. And she wasn't going to hold back this time.

She didn't have to.


	22. Chapter 22 - Rematch

Chapter 22 – Rematch

* * *

Aki stared blankly at nothing as she turned her dream over in her mind.

Divine had returned to claim her, and none of her friends had been able to stop him. Yusei, Carly, all of them had fallen to him. She had even summoned Black Rose Dragon to protect herself, and it hadn't been enough.

She was aware of the others, eating their breakfast around her as if it was just another day in Satellite. They had tried to cheer her up, reassure her that things would be ok, but her own meal lay cold as she sat in thought. She just couldn't make herself eat. Aki had tried to convince herself it had only been a dream and that she was safe here; but she couldn't shake the feeling of doubt in her mind.

What if she wasn't safe here? Divine would come back for her one day, and the others could be in serious danger because of that.

She wished Yusei were here. Yusei could always make her feel better. But he and Crow had left for the old subway early that morning; he couldn't help her right now. She hoped they were safe.

"Hi Carly!" she heard the twins say. Aki raised her own hand, in a half-greeting, still deep in thought.

"Why the duel disk, Carly?" she heard Jack ask.

That got her attention. Aki looked up at Carly in surprise; she _was_ wearing a duel disk, complete with deck, ready to duel. She looked…rejuvenated, somehow, ready to take on the world.

"To duel, silly!" Carly teased Jack in reply, brandishing the disk in front of her. "Why else would someone wear a duel disk? It's a good day for a duel!"

Aki stared at her. Had she gone crazy? Carly knew what happened whenever she duelled with her disk. It had caused her no end of worry, ever since her duel with Jack several weeks ago. So what was she thinking?

"So who's up for a duel?" Carly asked, looking around the room slowly before fixing her eyes on the only other psychic in the room. As if she had known all along whom she would choose.

"Aki?"

Had she simply forgotten? Or, Aki wondered, had something changed in her? She knew how much Carly worried about her power, so she probably hadn't forgotten.

Maybe something had changed in her. She certainly seemed very… confident this morning.

"Well, you remember what happened in our last duel, and the time you duelled Jack," she replied slowly. "You were considering never duelling again, because of it. So why the change of heart?"

Carly's expression grew serious. "Well, I need to practice, in case Divine ever comes back. But more than that, I… have something I'd like to try."

"And that is?" pressed Aki intently. She couldn't understand what would cause such a change of mind in Carly.

"It's difficult to explain," Carly eventually replied. "It might be easier if I showed you."

Easier if she showed her? Aki wasn't sure what she meant, but Jack had heard enough. He shook his head with a chuckle.

"Ok then, Carly, since you're so keen, I'll duel you," he said, getting to his feet. "If you really feel the need to try this thing of yours, whatever it is, I'll volunteer."

"Actually Jack, the more I think about it, the more I think it's time me and Aki had a rematch," replied Carly, still looking at Aki. "I think we both could do with this."

Aki continued to eye her doubtfully. She had a point, about practising in case Divine returned, but she still wasn't convinced. Carly must know something she didn't, otherwise she wouldn't seem so confident. So what had changed?

"Are you worried you won't beat me?" Carly asked cheekily.

Aki couldn't help but smile at her comment. She was trying to bait her into accepting. _Well_, she thought, _I still have doubts, but she's obviously determined to duel me. Maybe I should let her try out whatever she wants to show me._

"Alright Carly, you're on. We'll have a rematch!" she replied. Jack looked deflated at being passed over for the duel, but Carly simply laughed.

"Get your disk. We'll meet outside."

* * *

They faced each other across the same ground they had fought their previous match. Aki was glad everyone had come to watch; she didn't want Divine to catch the both of them in the middle of a duel without some backup, though she still missed Yusei.

"Ready to go?" Carly called over. Aki nodded.

"Ready," she replied.

* * *

**Aki LP: 4000.**

**Carly LP: 4000.**

**(Duel Theme: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Sound Duel Vol 1 - Izayoi Battle)**

* * *

"I'll go first," she declared, drawing her starting hand. It wasn't great, but if she drew Phoenixian Seed on her next turn, she could bring out Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis. In the meantime though, she'd need to open up with a combo to get an early advantage.

"I summon Evil Thorn in attack position."

**Evil Thorn – Atk 100, Lv1.**

The small, twisted seed plant appeared on the field.

"Next I activate its effect," Aki continued. "I can tribute it to summon two more Evil Thorns from my deck, and deal you three hundred damage!"

The Evil Thorn fired a storm of seeds at Carly, before disappearing from the field. In its place appeared two more, just like it.

**Carly LP: 4000 to 3700.**

**Evil Thorn x2 – Atk 100, Lv1.**

"That ends my turn," she finished.

"Go Aki!" called the twins.

"Come on Carly, it's early days yet!" Jack yelled in response.

"Not bad, Aki," said Carly to her. "But I hope you're not holding back on me."

Aki smirked. _Just you wait until next turn then_, she thought, before she could catch herself.

She shook her head. What was getting into her? This is Carly she was duelling. She would have to be extra careful, here, so that neither of them would get hurt.

* * *

"Ok, it's my turn then," said Carly.

She could still see Aki shaking her head. She was obviously having trouble calming herself for the duel, and was probably worrying about hurting her.

_Is this the right move_, she asked silently. _Will this work?_

_I do not know for sure_, replied Hikari. _But we will protect you if it does not. Do not be afraid, Carly._

She looked at her starting hand. Her Card Ejector and Fortune Lady Fire could both defeat Aki's monsters, but White Magician Pikeru would do a much better job.

"I summon White Magician Pikeru in attack position!"

The white-clad spellcaster appeared on the field, wielding a rod of bright light.

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"Now attack her Evil Thorn on the left!" she commanded. The magician's holy blast destroyed the plant creature, damaging Aki's life points.

**Aki LP: 4000 to 2900.**

"Next, I will activate my field spell, Secret Village of the Spellcasters! As long as I control a spellcaster-type monster and you don't, you can't activate any spell cards!"

Carly smiled as the field transformed into a sheltered forest glade, small treehuts appearing in the canopy above them.

"That ends my turn," she finished. She could see Jack smiling on the sidelines. He seemed as happy as she was, happy that she could duel like this again. She knew, though, that deep down he was probably worried about a repeat of her last duel with Aki happening. Carly could only hope that Hikari was right about protecting her.

"My turn. I draw," said the burgundy-haired woman.

* * *

Aki stared at her hand.

She hadn't drawn Phoenixian Seed, but she had drawn a card which was potentially better; Twilight Rose Knight, a tuner monster. With this, she could synchro summon. But that would bring out Black Rose Dragon; she couldn't do that. She couldn't control its power effectively, and both of them would get hurt as a result.

"Aki, what is it?" Carly called over. Aki looked up; Carly was looking at her, concerned.

"Are you sure about this duel?" she asked. "Are you really sure this isn't too dangerous?"

Carly simply smiled at her.

"I didn't feel any pain from your Evil Thorn's attack. Did you feel anything from my magician?"

She hadn't. The attack hadn't hurt Aki at all. But it was still early in the duel.

"No," she said slowly. "But we're in control, for now. That doesn't mean someone won't get hurt later on in the duel."

"You let me worry about that," replied Carly.

Aki still couldn't understand how she seemed so confident. She looked at her friends, on the sidelines; she could tell they were a little wary, but they were still here smiling and supporting her.

Aki looked again at her cards. She could feel Black Rose calling to her.

"Summon her, Aki," called Carly. "It'll be all right. Go ahead and summon her."

Aki suppressed a laugh. Obviously Carly knew what she had planned. _Ok_, she thought, _let's do this. I don't know if this is a good idea, but it's worth a try._

"First of all, I will summon Twilight Rose Knight in attack position."

The purple-clad swordsman appeared on the field, next to the last remaining Evil Thorn.

**Twilight Rose Knight – Atk 1000, Lv3.**

"Next I activate its effect," she continued. "When it's normal summoned, I can special summon a level four monster from my hand. So I special summon Lord Poison in attack position!"

The twisted plant creature appeared on the field, next to her Rose Knight. It looked hideous, a mass of twisted thorns and long black talons.

**Lord Poison – Atk 1500, Lv4.**

"Ok, Carly, here I come!" Aki called. "Lord Poison, attack her White Magician Pikeru!"

The mass of thorns surged towards Carly's magician, tearing it to pieces and damaging her life points.

**Carly LP: 3700 to 3400.**

"Next Twilight Rose Knight and Evil Thorn will attack you directly!"

Her Rose Knight charged towards Carly, striking her with its sword, while her thorn shot another storm of seeds towards her. She was nearly down half of her starting life total.

**Carly LP: 3400 to 2300.**

_Ok Carly, here we go. I hope you're right about this_, she thought as she readied her next move.

* * *

"Finally, I tune my level three Twilight Rose Knight to my level four Lord Poison!" Aki cried.

Carly braced herself. Black Rose Dragon was coming, and that meant it was time to carry out her idea. She wasn't quite sure if she could stand up to it as well as she thought, but she knew she had to try.

Twilight Rose Knight transformed into three bright stars, which morphed into a column of green light. The light surrounded Lord Poison, transforming it, evolving it.

"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

**Black Rose Dragon – Att 2400, Lv7.**

Aki's Signer Dragon appeared over the duel, emitting a vast roar. It towered over Carly. But she would not be afraid. She was confident in the knowledge that, as powerful as it was, this was a duel spirit just like Hikari. It would only harm her if Aki wanted it to.

Carly stepped out into the field, towards the dragon.

"Carly, what are you doing?" asked Jack, alarm growing in his voice, but Carly paid it no mind for now. She would explain it all later.

Black Rose Dragon began to rear up as Carly crossed the field. She had sensed the dragon's presence beside Aki, sheltering her, before they had even started their duel; but of course, here in the flesh so to speak, the feeling was much stronger now. She could sense the suspicion, the anger, coming from it. With the wisdom of her fortune ladies inside her, she could understand the nature of this creature; it had gained its strength from Aki's own hatred and paranoia, and the emotions had become as much a part of the creature as they had been of Aki.

"Carly, what is it?" Aki was asking, obviously concerned. "What are you doing?"

"Can you talk to Black Rose?" asked Carly, ignoring her question. "Does it hear you?"

Aki looked up at the dragon.

"Talk…to it? Do you mean… would it hear my words?" asked Aki.

"Try it," Carly suggested. Aki cleared her throat and looked back at Black Rose Dragon.

"B-Black Rose D-Dragon?" she asked hesitantly. "Can you h-hear me?"

The dragon turned to look back at her, cocking its head. Aki tried again.

"Do you know me? Do you recognise me?"

The dragon continued to look at her, but it did not reply. Carly sighed. She had hoped, when Hikari had mentioned Aki's bond with her dragon, that it would be the same as she herself had; that Aki could communicate with Black Rose Dragon as Carly could with her spirits. But that was not how it looked.

"It's not saying anything," said Aki unhappily. "I guess it can't understand me."

"I might have an idea why," Carly replied. "But only an idea. Let's finish our duel first. I had been hoping to see Black Rose again; it was one the reasons I had challenged you."

"Why Black Rose?" asked Aki.

"You have a special bond with her, Aki. I will explain it more after our duel."

As Aki nodded her agreement, Carly began to return to her side of the field. She saw Jack watching her, his face a little pale. She smiled at him to reassure him, but inside she felt just as scared. That had been a lot harder than she had expected, just walking up to that dragon of Aki's, knowing how dangerous it could be.

She needed to be more careful. Just because she had learnt a great deal from her fortune ladies, it didn't mean she completely understood it all just yet, or that she could always count on them to keep her safe.

"I end my turn by activating Black Rose Dragon's effect," declared Aki. "When successfully synchro summoned, it can destroy all other cards on the field. Black Rose Dragon, clear the field with your Black Rose Gale!"

The dragon turned its glare on Carly as it transformed into a whirlwind, sweeping away her spellcaster village as well as Aki's last Evil Thorn. As the powerful gust of wind struck her, Carly saw a flare of light in front of her and felt her eyes suddenly go out of focus. In an instant, the wind had passed, and her eyes refocused. She had withstood her dragon's effect without incident, as she suspected she might.

Carly looked over at Jack and the others; they were having a little more difficulty in keeping their feet in the face of that windblast, but they quickly composed themselves.

"Ok, then. My turn," she announced, smiling again at Jack. Now, without her dragon on the field, Aki was wide open to an attack. And Carly could activate her Solidarity spell first to maximise the damage.

"First I activate my spell card, Solidarity! If I only have one type of monster in my graveyard, all other monsters of that type on my field get eight hundred extra attack. And as I have another copy in my hand, I'll re-summon White Magician Pikeru!"

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200 to 2000, Lv2.**

The white-clad spellcaster appeared back on the field, green energy surrounding it as Carly's spell gave it a power boost.

She hesitated as she was about to announce her attack. With the excitement of the duel and the fear she had felt facing down Black Rose Dragon, it was about this point that her power would begin to show itself and cause damage. But she was in control now, supposedly; if Hikari had been right, this attack would not hurt Aki.

_Do not be afraid, Carly,_ she heard Hikari's voice say. Carly grit her teeth. It was time to put her trust in herself and her fortune ladies to the test.

"Now, magician! Attack Aki directly!"

The magician's holy blast shot towards her opponent. She could see Aki bracing herself as the attack struck.

**Aki LP: 2900 to 900.**

Carly laughed, ecstatic with delight and relief, as Aki's expression of anticipation turned to surprise. Hikari had been right; Aki had lost life points, but hadn't been physically hurt by the attack.

_I really can control this power now_, she thought.

_As we said Carly, you will not harm anyone you do not wish to harm, _Hikari's words echoed inside her.

"With that, I end my turn," she finished, still laughing. She was ahead on life, and Aki had already used her ace monster. Could she win this duel?

* * *

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Crow, pointing, as they headed back towards Martha's.

Yusei followed where he was looking. A maroon shape had appeared between two buildings. The buildings partially obscured his view of it, but he could see enough to recognise it.

Black Rose Dragon.

It meant Aki was duelling. Who was she duelling?

"We'd better hurry," Yusei called to Crow. "They might need our help!"

They both opened their throttles as they sped back to the orphanage.

* * *

Aki's mind was reeling. This was one of the strangest duels she'd ever had.

First Carly had tried to get her to talk to her dragon. It hadn't worked, although the dragon had clearly heard her speak; but Aki couldn't figure out why Carly had been so keen to try it. Then her dragon's effect had cleared the field, and she thought that Carly's eyes had flashed yellow for a split second just as the windstorm hit her. To Aki's relief, it hadn't seemed to affect Carly at all.

And then Carly's spellcaster's attack had struck her directly, for two thousand damage. That sort of effect should have caused her agony, as it would have in their previous duel, but Aki felt absolutely nothing.

Something had indeed happened to Carly. She was laughing, but it wasn't at Aki's misfortune.

"What happened, Carly?" Aki asked. "Why didn't I feel anything from that attack?"

"Because she was right," replied Carly. Aki could see what looked like tears of relief on the reporter's face. "Hikari was right. I can finally control my power!"

Jack and the others cheered and clapped on the sidelines. Aki gave her a grin of her own. Carly had finally done it; she had finally got control of her power. And it gave Aki hope that, one day, she would be able to keep control of hers. She wasn't sure how Carly had managed it, and later she was going to find out how; but right now, there was a duel to win.

"My turn. I draw."

Aki wasn't in a good position. Still no Phoenixian Seed draw, and none of her other monsters could beat Carly's magician. She would have to rely on her traps, and hope she had enough life points to employ them.

"I set two cards and end my turn."

"Ok then, my turn," called Carly. "First, I gain four hundred life from White Magician Pikeru's effect."

A burst of green light from White Magician Pikeru's staff surrounded Carly, boosting her life points.

**Carly LP: 2300 to 2700.**

"Now, White Magician Pikeru, attack her directly and end this duel!"

"Not yet, Carly," Aki replied. "I activate my trap, Wicked Rebirth! For the cost of eight hundred life points, I can bring back a synchro monster from my graveyard. Return to us, Black Rose Dragon!"

The dragon reappeared on the field, emitting another frightful roar. It folded its wings protectively over Aki as her life points dropped perilously low.

**Aki LP: 900 to 100.**

**Black Rose Dragon – Atk 2400, Lv7.**

Aki smiled at Carly, who did not look impressed at the return of the synchro monster.

"Fine then, I guess I'll have to hold back for now. But I will trade in my magician for my Fortune Lady Dark!"

The white-clad spellcaster morphed into a taller, purple-clad version, carrying a black staff humming with energy.

"You remember how Fortune Ladies work, right? Her attack and defence are equal to her level times four hundred, and she is level five!"

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk ? to 2800, Lv5.**

Green energy coursed up the fortune lady's staff as she gained the power boost from Solidarity. Aki knew she was lucky Carly hadn't summoned her first before attacking; if she had, Aki would have lost the duel.

"That's my turn done," said Carly.

"Come on Aki!" called the twins. "You can do it!"

"Come on Carly! You've got this nearly won!" cried Jack, still trying to compete with the twins. Aki shared a smile with Carly as she began her turn.

"My turn. I draw."

Her smile widened as she looked at what she had drawn. Half-Counter wouldn't help her deal with Carly's fortune lady just yet, but with her trap she could at least maintain a standoff.

"I set two more cards and end my turn," she declared. Carly began her own turn, drawing a card.

"Due to Fortune Lady Dark's effect, she gains a level during my standby phase, giving her an extra four hundred attack."

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk 2800 to 3200, Lv5 to 6.**

"I'm sure you have a trap there, ready for me," continued Carly, smiling, "So I won't attack this turn. I will just have to pass."

Aki grinned in response. It was well and truly a standoff, her dragon versus Carly's spellcaster. They both knew one of them would eventually have to risk an attack, and that might end up costing them the duel.

"My turn again," began Aki, as she drew her next card.

* * *

Carly could see Aki smiling at the card she had drawn.

She desperately needed a strategy to deal with the woman's face down cards; until she could clear them away, attacking was too risky, even though her fortune lady's attack points were higher. So to see Aki drawing another useful card was not good news.

There was a screech as two D-wheels pulled up beside the duel. Yusei and Crow were back, and Carly could see Yusei didn't look too happy.

"Aki! What's happening?" he asked, removing his helmet.

"Carly wanted to duel me," Aki replied. "And so here we are."

"But… isn't that dangerous?" asked Crow. "What if one of you gets hurt again?"

"That's a risk," she admitted. "But Carly's learnt to control her power; and you know what, I think I can learn to keep control of mine, as well."

Yusei looked at her doubtfully.

"It's true, Yusei," agreed Carly. "If you don't believe me, just look at Aki. Down to her last hundred life points, but not a scratch on her."

"I believe you, Carly, but how did you manage to control it?" he asked. "I thought you had been getting nowhere for weeks?"

"It's a long story. I will explain it after our duel. Which I will win, by the way," she finished, turning her attention back to her opponent. Aki smiled at her in response.

"I don't think so. You see, first I'm activating this trap card, Ivy Shackles. During my turn, all monsters on the field become plant-type monsters."

A torrent of vines sprung out from the card, wrapping themselves around Fortune Lady Dark.

"That brings me to the second part of my plan. I activate this spell card, Fragrance Storm! It allows me to destroy one plant-type monster on the field, and I choose your Fortune Lady Dark!"

A swirl of petals swept across the field, sweeping away Carly's monster. Now she was in deep trouble; she was wide open to attack from Black Rose Dragon. Aki looked suddenly guilty at the prospect of the direct attack.

"I'm sorry, Carly," she began, "and I don't want to do it, but you have no monsters on the field, so I can attack you directly."

"It's ok," Carly replied. "I trust you, and I trust Black Rose Dragon. I'll be ok. I don't think you will hurt me. Go for your attack."

She couldn't help but brace herself though, just in case. She had experienced the fury of Aki's dragon before.

"Black Rose Dragon! Attack her directly with Black Rose Flare!" Aki cried.

The dragon took in a deep breath before exhaling a stream of energy towards Carly. She saw another flash of light and felt her eyes lose focus again, while the fiery wave passed over her. Only seconds later, the attack had finished, and her eyes had refocused.

**Carly LP: 2700 to 300.**

Carly had only felt a brief pressure, as if there had been a sudden gust of wind. She had felt no pain.

Aki looked extremely relieved, on the other side of the field, as did all the spectators. Carly smiled at her reassuringly. She knew that her fortune lady spirits had protected her, but for the most part it was Aki herself who had managed to keep from hurting her.

"You were right, Carly," cried Aki in delight. "You were right! You didn't take any damage from the attack. Why is that?"

"I think it's because you don't have any ill feelings towards me," suggested Carly. "And you were concerned enough about not hurting me that I think Black Rose Dragon felt that, and held back as well. You might not be able to communicate with it through speech, but it can still sense your emotions."

"Aki," asked Yusei. "Does this mean you can control it yourself, now? Your power?"

"I think so," Aki concluded. "At least, I can if I focus on keeping calm and not wishing to hurt others. I think Carly has been right, in this duel; if I really don't want to hurt someone, I won't, as long as I keep focused. So it's not really complete control, I suppose, but I think I know how I can influence that power more now, keep it from hurting anyone I don't want to hurt."

"Ok, Aki," called Carly. "It's one hundred life to three hundred. This duel won't last much longer."

Aki smiled in response. "You're right. I end my turn here."

Carly knew she had to draw something good, right now. She was facing down Black Rose Dragon and didn't have any cards on the field to protect herself, so unless she drew a good card now, the duel was over.

"My turn. I draw!" she cried. And grinned, when she saw what she had drawn.

Fortune Lady Wind.

"Thank you for the duel, Aki, but this time, I'm going to win," she cried. "I summon Fortune Lady Wind in attack position!"

The green-clad spellcaster appeared on the field, carrying an emerald-topped staff.

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk ?, Lv3.**

"As she's a fortune lady, her attack and defence points are equal to her level times three hundred, so she gets nine hundred."

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk ? to 900.**

"But there's more to it than that," Carly explained. "When she's summoned, she can destroy a spell or trap on the field, and I'm destroying Wicked Rebirth!"

Aki shrunk back in surprise as Fortune Lady Wind lowered her staff at her trap card, destroying it with a bolt of energy. With the trap's destruction, Black Rose Dragon disappeared back into the graveyard.

"Fortune Lady Wind, attack her directly! Emerald Blast!"

Another bolt of green energy struck Aki, reducing her life to zero.

**Aki LP: 100 to 0.**

**Winner: Carly Nagisa.**

On the sidelines, the twins cheered. Jack rushed over and put his arm around her, congratulating her on a duel well won.

Carly embraced him. She had won! She had beaten Aki!

"Carly," called Aki, crossing the field as the holograms disappeared. Yusei and Crow were moving up with her.

"Again, thank you for the duel, Aki," said Carly, removing her arms from around Jack. "I wanted to try a few things, but I wasn't sure if they would work. I'm glad they did."

"You did very well, Carly. Well done. But I'm very interested in learning more these things you wanted to try. You haven't explained how you can suddenly control your power, or why you wanted me to speak to Black Rose Dragon. Something's changed in you, and I'd like to know what."

"Let's get back to Martha's," she suggested, nodding. "I've learnt a lot, and it'll take some time to tell you everything."

* * *

"So you had their power inside of you the whole time?" asked Jack. Carly nodded.

"It was just lying dormant. It took that moment in the alleyway and Divine's attempt to control me to finally awaken the spirits of my fortune ladies inside me."

Aki still found it very strange. She didn't know a great deal about duel monster spirits, but she'd seen Hikari and the others appear when Divine had tried to capture her. She knew that they had a link of some sort with Carly; but Carly seemed to be saying that her and her fortune ladies were actually the same thing, now.

Aki remembered the yellow light in Carly's eyes during Divine's attack, and in their duel just before. Had that been her spirit power in action?

"So, maybe if you have duel spirits in you now, that might make you part spirit yourself," suggested Ruka. "Maybe that's why you can see Kuribon!"

"Maybe you're right," Carly admitted. "I have their abilities, like seeing duel monsters and such, but I'm still me; I still have my memories and such of my old life."

"That's right," agreed Jack. "She's still the same Carly. She has some… extra powers, now, but otherwise she's no different than before."

Carly smiled and nodded before looking at Aki.

"I know it might be hard to understand, Aki, but I have the knowledge of my fortune ladies inside me now. They have done so much to help me understand what has happened to me, but also what is happening to you too."

"Happening to me?" asked Aki.

"Yes. From what Hikari has told me, you have a powerful bond with your dragon. All the Signers are bonded to their dragons, but your bond is deeper than theirs. It is through that bond with Black Rose Dragon that you are able to manipulate the power you have."

Aki pulled her Signer Dragon card from her deck and looked at it. She'd had this card for many years, and it had always been special to her. She definitely had a bond with it; maybe Carly was right, and it went much deeper than simply the bond between Signer and Signer Dragon.

"It's a primal bond, Aki," Carly continued. "It goes beyond words, I think. You might not be able to talk with it like you can with us, but you can communicate your emotions to it and it can respond. And I think the rest of you have a similar bond with your own dragons."

Aki noticed the other Signers – Yusei, Jack and Ruka – were looking at their own Signer dragon cards. Did they have a similar bond as she did? More than once she had heard Jack refer to Red Dragon Archfiend as his very soul. And Yusei… Stardust Dragon sacrificed itself to save others, just as she knew he had done before, and likely would again.

"What about me?" asked Crow. "I'm a Signer too, now, but I don't have a dragon."

Aki saw Carly frown. He made a good point; if he was Signer, where was his dragon?

"From what Hikari has told me, every Signer has a Signer Dragon," Carly eventually said. "It must still be out there, waiting for you to find it."

Aki sat back in her chair as Crow looked uncertain at his answer. She still had no clue just how much Carly had learnt from these fortune ladies of hers, but she wanted to find out. If it could help her fully understand her bond with Black Rose Dragon, and give her the chance of one day being in full control of her power, she had to learn all she could from Carly.

And Divine was still out there. He would be back; Aki had no doubt. She had to be ready for him.

But she didn't fear him as much as she had; she realised that, now. Her dream that morning had simply been just that, a dream. Aki knew she was safe here, with her friends to protect her. And she trusted in her bond with Black Rose Dragon to keep her safe as well.

Aki knew it was going to take a long time to gain full control over her powers, and ultimately her emotions, since they seemed to be the key to maintaining that control. But she knew that with the help of Carly and her other friends, she would control her power, at last.


	23. Chapter 23 - Maturity

Chapter 23: Maturity

* * *

Martha looked out at the sunny weather as she finished the morning chores.

"Fortune Lady Dark, attack Exploder Dragonwing!" she heard Carly call from the duel field, not far away. It was closely followed by a howl of anguish from Jack.

Martha smiled. Carly must have finally beaten him. They all knew he never liked losing.

Putting down her dishcloth, she sighed. It seemed hard to believe that it had only been near six months since the girl had arrived in Satellite, a little worse for wear. Now, they were so used to her being around, she seemed like part of the furniture. And beating nearly everyone in duels now, it seemed.

But Martha knew Carly would eventually have to head back to the city. She'd mentioned as much, with her apartment and her job to consider there. Despite the time she'd spent in Satellite, the city was her home. And she would be leaving for there soon; the Daedalus Bridge was nearly completed. It wouldn't be more than another couple of weeks before it was formally connected to Satellite and people could travel freely between the two places. Martha knew it would be a turning point for a lot of people here, but she knew old attitudes would change slowly; it would take a while before city folk were comfortable with people like her moving around their city.

She knew she'd miss Carly, when the time came for her to leave; they would all miss her. Carly had done so much to try and show the state of life in Satellite to the people in the city while she had been here, and Martha felt words couldn't express their appreciation at her efforts.

Martha sighed again before settling back into the chores. The work around here never seemed to be completely done, and she couldn't waste the nice weather daydreaming.

* * *

Carly proofread her latest article for what seemed like the fifth time.

With the imminent completion of the Daedalus Bridge, she'd taken to writing a series of articles over the last few days. She'd talked to a number of people around Satellite about the impact of the bridge's construction on them, and how they felt about it. For some of them it meant little, as they were sceptical that people in the city would ever accept them; but for most, it was an exciting prospect. For the people of Satellite, the chance of being able to visit the city – and to be considered full-fledged citizens of that city – was a dream come true for many of them.

If only Carly's boss could see it her way.

Henshucho had contacted her and made it clear that her articles had not been helping the paper's sales; if anything, sales had apparently been low recently as many people tried to avoid news about Satellite. While she could understand that he needed to sell papers or go out of business, Carly wasn't about to give up, and continued to send a stream of material about life in Satellite to her boss through the link to Ushio. Early on she'd considered it a matter of professionalism and personal commitment to spread the plight of the people of Satellite to the rest of the city; now Carly continued to send articles simply out of stubbornness. She wasn't going to be told what to write, or stop writing just because her material didn't sell well; she was going to continue to spread her stories no matter what.

"Still looking over that?" asked Jack as he entered the room. "I still don't see how you can keep reading through that over and over again. When will you admit that it's as good as it's going to get?"

Carly gave him a glare, but she had to admit he was right. There was nothing wrong with it, technically; it was a solid article. She just wished it could be better, wished it could finally convince her boss that she could write what people wanted to read after all. She closed the laptop with a sigh.

"I suppose you're right. I don't know what more I can do for it."

"You've been spending too much time over that computer," Jack remarked, laughing. "Do you remember the last time we went for a ride?"

Carly couldn't remember. It had been a week, maybe two?

"Five weeks," supplied Jack. "I know you've been out around Satellite talking to people, but apart from that you've been cooped up here. You need a break."

"I've had breaks," argued Carly. "I've got in plenty of duelling. Or don't you remember this morning?"

Jack frowned, and Carly felt herself grin in response. She'd finally beaten him. She had no idea how many duels it had taken, but she'd finally beaten him.

"Sometimes, you need a break from duelling, too," he replied. Carly stared at him. This, from Jack, for whom duelling was as part of life as breathing?

"We're going out for a ride. Right now," declared Jack firmly, making for the door. Carly hesitated only a moment before following him. He was right in that it had been a while since they'd been for a ride, and the weather was perfect.

They made their way to the garage, taking out their D-wheels. Carly took a good look over hers, reacquainting herself with the cycle. Over the past few months Yusei, Jack and Crow had worked on it significantly, replacing all the body work and ensuring the suspension problem was fixed. It could even take part in riding duels, although she hadn't won any of those yet. Carly had finally selected a colour scheme for the D-wheel as well; she'd gone with a light blue, her favourite colour, with orange highlights along the sides and front.

As they started their cycles and left the orphanage, Carly thought about how she still felt a thrill from having her own D-wheel. It was a delightful gift, one of many gifts she'd received from friends she still couldn't believe she had.

* * *

Aki watched through the window with a smile as Carly and Jack left.

She hadn't meant to overhear them, but Jack was right; Carly had been too preoccupied with her job of late. Aki felt for her, and her struggle to get her work taken seriously. The near six months that she had lived here with Yusei and the others had opened her eyes to a community she had never experienced before, back in the city, and she could understand why Carly would want others to know about it as well.

Back in the city. Back where her home really was. Aki expected her parents must be missing her terribly. More than once she had considered trying to contact them and talk to them, using the video link Carly used to send her work through to Ushio, but each time she thought about it she wasn't sure what to say. She had been apart from them for so long, and they had so much to catch up on – and so much for Aki to apologise for – but where was she going to begin?

She couldn't avoid it any longer. She wasn't going to. Once the bridge was completed, Aki would go and see them.

"Hi, Aki," said Ruka as she entered the room. Aki looked back at the girl with concern.

"Hi, Ruka. So, how did it go? Did you get to the spirit world?"

"Sort of," she replied, shaking her head sadly. "It was really hard. It felt like something was pushing back against me, trying to stop me getting there. When I did, the forest looked worse than ever. I couldn't find Ancient Fairy Dragon or Kuribon anywhere."

The girl looked very depressed, and Aki could understand why. The corruption of the Ancient Forest had resumed, and Ruka's spirit friends were slowly but surely losing the battle to protect it. Aki and the others had scoured Satellite in the last few months for answers, but they had found nothing. They were out of ideas, and it frustrated them all.

"Don't worry, Ruka," she said. "You'll see them again. They know you're trying to get to them and I'm sure they're trying to find you, too. You'll see them again. We'll find Divine and we'll stop him. We'll make him stop this. We have to."

Ruka looked at her with sad eyes.

"I hope…I hope you're right, Aki," she relied quietly. "I swore…I swore to protect that place. I swore to them I would protect them. But I can't do anything. The shadows will take them, and I can't stop it."

"Don't say that," said Aki, moving over to hug the girl. "That won't happen. We'll save them, Ruka. We'll stop Divine and we'll save them."

Ruka did not reply. Aki wished she could say more to reassure the girl. Whatever Divine was doing, it seemed impossible to reverse. Carly had even tried using the spirits inside her to stop it, going to the spirit world with Ruka, but she had done little more than heal a couple of the trees before being swarmed by the shadow creatures; both of them had barely got away from the spirit world with their lives. Aki had tried herself, too, she'd tried hard to send herself to the Ancient Forest Ruka spoke of, tried to use her bond with Black Rose Dragon to get her there, but nothing had worked.

She had learnt a lot from Carly's spirits about her own bond with Black Rose, but it seemed to be a different bond than the one Carly had with her fortune ladies. She could only communicate with Black Rose when she summoned it, and even then the dragon could not seem to understand her words; but Aki was sure that Black Rose could definitely tune into her emotions.

That seemed to be the only effective way to talk to her. Aki hoped that the exercises she had been doing recently to maintain a positive frame of mind were being picked up by Black Rose; if she was going to heal all her emotional scars, she was going to need the dragon's help.

"Let's talk about something else," she suggested, letting go of Ruka. "The bridge will be completed soon. You and Rua will get to go and see your parents again!"

"It'll be a bit strange," said Rua, entering the room. "We haven't seen them in so long I won't remember what they look like!"

Ruka gasped, turning to her brother.

"How can you say that? You can't even remember what our own mother looks like?"

"Well, how long has it been?" replied Rua, starting to count on his fingers. "How many months? Four, five, six?"

Aki hide a smile behind her hand as Ruka stood there, hands on hips, glaring at her brother. She could tell they were looking forward to getting back to the city, too, just as she was. Sure, she was nervous, but she remembered how happy her parents had been to have their daughter back, just before she left to fight the Dark Signers six months ago.

Aki turned her gaze to look out the window again. _Divine_, she thought, _we're going to find you. One day we're going to make you answer for everything you've done_.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" asked Crow, looking at the screen of his Blackbird.

"I like it," replied Yusei through the video link. "And I think it's the perfect way to mark the occasion. Have you told any of the others?"

"Not yet, though I'm sure they'll love it, too! Well, Jack might not, but I'm sure I can talk him around!"

Yusei nodded, before losing his smile.

"Any word from Kiryu?" he asked. Crow shook his head.

"Nope, nothing. It's been a while, now. I'm not too worried, but I hope he's ok."

Yusei nodded again. Crow remembered when Kiryu had left, not long after he'd fully recovered from his injuries. True to his word, he'd supposedly gone on a journey to try and find who he truly was, but they hadn't heard from him in months. Crow knew that, although he had healed physically, dealing with his emotional scars would take longer; but still, he thought they would have at least heard something from him by now.

"Well I suppose I had better get back to my deliveries," he said. "Catch ya later, Yusei."

Yusei smiled and bid Crow farewell before cutting the video link. As Crow began to turn his D-wheel in the direction of his next stop, he spotted two more cycles coming his way down the old highway. He smiled as he recognised them.

"Hey, you two!" Crow called out to them. Carly waved back as she and Jack came to a stop before him.

"What are you doing here?" asked Jack, taking off his helmet.

"Hey, some of us have work to do, you know," chided Crow. "You should try some once in a while yourself."

"Don't mind him," said Carly, removing her own helmet. "He's been moody since I beat him this morning."

Crow laughed as Jack looked away in obvious discomfort.

"Nice job! I knew you'd beat him, someday. Hey, while you're here, I had this great idea. You wanna hear?"

"Not really," replied Jack. Crow scowled at him.

"Not funny, Jack. Anyway, I thought that, with the bridge nearly finished, we should have a duelling tournament to celebrate!"

"Now that's a nice idea," remarked Jack.

"That does sound pretty fun," agreed Carly.

"Even better, it'll be a tag duel tournament!" continued Crow. "Best team wins the prize!"

"Tag duels?" said Jack, looking doubtful. "Why tag duels?"

Crow folded his arms impatiently.

"This is our chance to show the city our teamwork, Jack. The winning team will be Satellite's best duellists, ready to represent us just as the bridge is finished! Imagine how the city would react."

"They probably wouldn't care much," replied Carly sadly. "They still don't think much of duellists from here. Still, I like the idea of a tag tournament. It sounds fun. Jack, we should enter!"

Jack looked at her.

"But Carly, I'm the king. I always duel alone," he said seriously.

"You're just afraid I'll show you up," she joked. "Now that I've beaten you, you're afraid I'll beat you again!"

"No, I don't think that…" began Jack.

"Count us in!" Carly said to Crow. He nodded, grinning.

"You bet! I'm going to talk to the others later, see if I can get them interested, but I should really get back to work."

"Sure thing!"

As Crow opened the throttle of his D-wheel and sped off, back on his delivery run, he felt sure that Carly would talk Jack around to the idea of tag duelling. He was glad she had saved him the trouble; Jack could be pretty stubborn, when he wanted to be, and he was not a fan of duelling with a partner.

At that moment, a call came through on Crow's video link. As he recognised the caller id, he smiled. He'd just had another great idea.

* * *

As Crow left, Carly turned her grin back on Jack.

"Looks like we'd better get practicing!" she said. Jack nodded slowly, still not looking particularly happy.

"What's the matter? Can't duel with a partner?"

"I always duel alone, Carly," said Jack. "By choice. I don't want to have to rely on a partner."

"You don't think I could handle it?" she asked snidely. Jack shook his head.

"Of course I don't think that. Yes, you beat me this morning. You've really improved your duelling skills, and I couldn't think of anyone else to partner with. It's just… I'm not used to it, that's all. I'm used to taking care of myself."

Carly nodded. She could understand his reluctance – he'd been looking out for himself for so many years. But it wasn't going to put her off. She was going to get him working with her yet.

"That said," Jack continued. He was grinning now. "Think of the show we could put on! Everyone in Satellite will turn out for a tournament like this, I reckon. The bridge is the biggest excitement to happen here since Zero Reverse. It'll be like old times, duelling in the stadium!"

"We won't exactly be in a stadium though, Jack," said Carly.

"True, but people will be watching us. Tournament duelling is as much as about entertainment as winning, Carly. Trust me, I know."

Carly nodded. Would that many people turn out for a competition like this? She knew duelling was a popular past-time here, and how important the construction of the bridge was to the people, but would they all come to watch this tournament?

"You might even get your chance to finally beat him, too," finished Jack. "Especially with my help!"

Carly turned to him.

"Beat who?" she asked, but straight away she realised who he meant.

"Who else, Carly? You've beaten Rua and Ruka, and Crow. You've beaten Aki. You even finally beat me this morning. Yusei's the only one you haven't beaten."

Carly thought back over the months she had spent here. In that time, she'd gone from being an unpractised duellist with an unfamiliar deck to a skilled duellist who'd beaten some of Satellite's best talent. And he was right; Yusei was the only one she hadn't beaten one on one. If she could beat Yusei, even if it was only in a tag duel, it would prove she could duel with the best of both Satellite and Neo Domino City.

"Well, if we're going in this tournament, we'd better practice some riding duels," said Jack, pressing a button on his D-wheel. As the computer began to start the Speed World sequence, Carly looked at him uncertainly.

"I don't think there'll be any riding duels in the competition, Jack. Besides, I'm still pretty bad; I haven't won a single duel yet."

"Riding duelling is quite different from regular duelling," laughed Jack. "Don't get discouraged. You'll get there one day, but you've got a way to go yet. In the meantime, it'll be good practice for you to duel under pressure!"

And with that, Jack opened the throttle and sped off. Carly smiled and quickly fired up her own D-wheel. _Truly_, she thought as she sped off after him, _he will never change_.

* * *

He had waited five months, building his power base and resources, for the right moment to strike. Now, everything was in place.

"It's time," he said. "Gather the movement."

As his advisor left, Divine took a deep breath and considered. Soon, Carly and Aki would his. This time, he would not fail.


	24. Chapter 24 - Tournament

Chapter 24: Tournament

* * *

"What do you mean, he doesn't want any more?" Carly asked Ushio angrily. The Chief of Security shook his head sadly.

"I'm only telling you what he told me, Carly. There's been a lot to report on in the city lately, and he said that news from Satellite wasn't as important. I'm sorry, I tried to get him to change his mind, but he's not having it."

Carly clenched her fists at her sides. How could her boss do this? She was _not_ going to be silenced by him. When she got back to the city, she would give Henshucho a piece of her mind. There were important things happening here in Satellite, too!

She took in a deep breath and relaxed her hands. Getting angry wasn't going to fix the problem. She needed to work out what she was going to do next.

"Well, that's disappointing. Thank you for trying, Ushio, but he gets like this. I'll keep sending him stuff, regardless."

Ushio nodded.

"What's been so interesting in the city that he's rejected all my articles, anyway?" she asked. Ushio's face became grim as he spoke.

"There's been more disappearances. Mostly it's just the same ones I told you about before; criminals, the homeless. Generally people who are undesirable or outcast, or in poverty. This time, though, a couple of prominent city officials have disappeared. Just gone. Just like the other ones, they've vanished, with no leads, no sightings. People are getting worried."

Carly's heart sank at the news. The number of missing persons reports had been going up the last few months. Ushio had kept her up to date with the stories of people disappearing from the streets, vanishing from the city without trace. Carly could understand that living on the street wasn't easy, and could sometimes get violent; but her and Ushio agreed it seemed like more than simple crime or gang activity. And if city officials were starting to be targeted, now, then there was definitely something sinister behind it.

_Something feels very wrong_, she thought, _and I don't like it. Once I get back into the city, I'll have to look into it._

"So, is there any more news from Satellite?" asked Ushio, trying to change the subject.

"Well, now that you mention it, Crow's holding a tag duelling tournament to mark the near completion of the Daedalus Bridge. He's holding it at the end of the week."

"A tag tournament?" mused Ushio. "That sounds interesting. You know, I haven't had a good duel in a while."

"Thinking of taking part?" smiled Carly. "I thought you weren't so keen on Satellite!"

"Well, my perspective changed a bit, about six months ago," he replied soberly. "I've been looking forward to the building of the bridge, too. I expect people there are pretty excited."

"They are. It means a great deal to them."

"Well, I'll see if I can find a partner," finished Ushio. "In the meantime, I'd better get back to work. Tell Crow I'll be there!"

Carly nodded before cutting the video link. She was excited and a little nervous at the prospect of taking part in the tournament herself, especially at the chance to duel with Jack. Hopefully Ushio could find a partner.

Her thoughts drifted back to the city. Soon, the bridge would be completed, and she would have to return there, to her apartment and her job. Soon, she would have to leave this place.

_But_, she thought, _will Jack come back with me?_

* * *

That night, she discussed the upcoming event with Jack and the others.

"So how many people will be taking part in the tournament?" asked Carly.

"Well, I got a lot of interest at first," replied Crow, grinning. "Although a lot of them pulled out once they heard we were in it, the wimps. Still, we've got plenty of entrants; Rally, Taka, Nerve, Blitz. Rua and Ruka. Me, Yusei and Aki. You two. Should be a good contest!"

"I heard from Saiga," said Yusei. "He will be competing. I think he said he had talked to Uryu and was forming a team with him."

"That sounds an odd pair. Still, they're both good duellists. I'll put them on the list.

"You can add Ushio's name to the mix, too," said Carly. "I mentioned it to him over the line and he said he'd bring along a partner."

"Ushio? Well, that might be interesting to see. Ok, I'll add him and his partner to the list. So far that gives us about eight teams; a good number."

"So what rules are you going to use?" asked Jack.

"We'll use our usual tag rules," replied Crow. "I named them the Daedalus rules, just for the tournament!"

"That's nice, Crow, but you're going to have to remind me what those rules are. It's been more than two years since I last tag duelled. Plus Carly doesn't know the rules either."

"I know that, Jack. I was just about to explain them. First, each team shares eight thousand life points and a field, but keeps their own decks. Players on a team can use each other's monsters and set cards."

"Also, players on each team alternate turns," added Yusei. "It's a little tricky to explain, but here's an example. Say you and Carly were facing me and Crow, and you took the first turn; I would take the next, then Carly, and then finally Crow. We'd continue play in that order until the duel is won."

"And the last rule is, no player may attack until each other player has had a turn," finished Crow.

"Well, that seems easy enough to remember," said Carly. She was glad she could understand the rules well enough; tag duelling sounded tricky enough as it was.

"Well, now that that's all sorted, I need to get practicing," Jack said, standing.

"Right now, Jack?" asked Carly. "It's getting a bit late for duelling. Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"Carly, if we're going to win this, we need to use every bit of time we can," he explained patiently. "I need to go through my deck and prepare our strategy!"

She sighed and shook her head wearily, as Jack left the room. _He just can't stop thinking about duelling for one moment, can he_, she thought.

"Don't worry, Carly," said Yusei. "He's always been like that. Just don't let him boss you around. You two need to work as a team if you're going to win."

"Oh, I won't let him boss me around," she said confidently. "I can deal with Jack."

* * *

The rest of the week flew by as they all prepared for the big occasion. The night before the tournament, Carly drifted through the Eye of Destiny in her dreams and talked with Hikari about her concerns.

"Every bond between a spirit and its human partner is unique," the fortune lady spirit was saying. "You can see us, for example, and other duel spirits, but not everyone can do this. Aki cannot; she can only communicate with Black Rose when she summons her in a duel, and even then she can only connect with her on an emotional level."

"So Aki may never be able to communicate effectively with Black Rose?" asked Carly. They had been trying for months, her and Aki, to talk to the Signer Dragon, but had little success. The dragon could certainly sense Aki's emotions; when she was in pain, and when she wanted to hold back. But other than emotions, the dragon was unresponsive to her.

"That may be the case. But it might happen in the future; a spirit bond is an evolving thing, and the benefits it can grant to a human can change. A sufficiently emotional event may trigger such a change."

"She's been through so much already, though. If that hasn't helped her talk to Black Rose, than what will?"

Hikari said nothing, but Carly knew what the spirit was thinking of. An event happening to Aki which would affect her enough to change the spirit bond; such an event would have to eclipse all that had already happened to the girl.

"That is not all that is on your mind, Carly," said Hikari. "You are still concerned about Jack."

"He still hasn't told me what he wants to do," complained Carly. "I've asked him plenty of times, but he won't give me a straight answer. Is he trying not to say no? Or has not made up his mind yet?"

"I do not know, Carly. We both know that he has struggled to figure out where he belongs in recent months. But I do know that he loves you. I think he would find it very hard to remain here without you."

Carly sighed, but nodded. She supposed she would only get an answer to the question of whether he would stay with her on the day the bridge was opened. It was less than two weeks away, last she heard, but she knew it was going to be a long two weeks.

Her eyes flickered across the myriad of vision portals passing her as she travelled. She'd seen a number of disturbing visions the past few nights. One of them was clearly recognisable as her duel against Jack at the hummingbird tower. In another of them, she was standing by Divine's side as he brainwashed Aki back into his Arcadia Movement. In a third, she was falling off the Arcadia headquarters again. It was enough to give her nightmares, and she was glad she hadn't had any yet.

"Why are there so many of these visions lately?" she asked Hikari. "They can't all be possible futures, can they? I mean, the Dark Signers were defeated! So why are there visions of them appearing here?"

"It is the nature of these portals, Carly," replied Hikari. "I know it might seem improbable, and that they might seem more like memories than visions, but they always show _possible_ futures. Without fail."

"No, that can't be. The Arcadia building was destroyed! How could I possibly fall off it again when it was destroyed?"

"All the portals are open to interpretation, Carly. The glimpses they provide are limited in that they only show a single moment in time, and only show a small fraction of the whole picture. For instance, can you be sure that it was the Arcadia building you fell off in that one?"

Carly gazed at it again. She was definitely falling backwards from a great height, but the night was dark and cloudy and she couldn't see clearly. Maybe Hikari was right and it wasn't the Arcadia building, after all.

As she continued to fly through the Eye of Destiny, Carly's eye caught another vision portal. This time, she was in her Dark Signer regalia again, and holding a duel disk she recognised as Jack's. She knelt before a woman in red, holding up the duel disk as if it was an offering.

She shivered. She'd had enough of being reminded of her experience as a Dark Signer. That was behind her now; it wasn't going to happen again. But Carly knew Hikari was right, as true as knowing the fortune lady spirit was a part of her; the fact it was in one of the vision portals meant it was a possible future, no matter how much she wanted to deny it.

It was a future she was determined to avoid. For her sake, and for Jack's sake.

* * *

The day of the tournament dawned brilliantly clear and sunny.

"What's this about mystery partners?" asked Jack as he scanned the teams list.

"Well, I don't know who Ushio is bringing along, so I just wrote down 'mystery partner'," replied Crow.

"Yeah, I know about Ushio's case, but what about yours? You have mystery partner down as well."

"Ah, yes," smiled Crow, touching his nose. "That's a bit of a secret, you see!"

"Fine then," grumbled Jack. "It won't matter anyway, me and Carly will clean house."

"If you say so. Speaking of which, I had better finish setting things up over there. See you in an hour or so."

As Crow left for the duel field, Jack turned to Carly.

"Are you ok, Carly?" he asked her. "You're a bit quiet this morning. Nervous?"

She smiled at him, deciding not to tell him about what she had seen in her visions.

"A little, yeah. If as many show up as Crow expects, I'll be duelling front of them all. It's a little scary. But I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Just remember our practice. You've already proven your ability by beating us, so you don't need to try and do that again. Just remember the strategy we practiced and we'll win!"

Carly thought back through what they had planned. It had been tricky, working through a good team strategy for the two of them, but she had a good idea of what to expect from Jack's deck now. He had worked on it especially for the tournament, and she'd taken the time to make a few changes to her deck as well.

They were ready. Now, all they had to do was wait for it to begin.

* * *

The duel field had been all set up in preparation. Yusei had found a whiteboard in an abandoned building, and it stood on the far side of the field, a little battered but still useable. There had even been a number of boxes and cartons moved to surround the field as places for people to sit.

As Carly and Jack arrived, a sizeable crowd had already gathered to watch. People had come from all parts of Satellite; she recognised locals from a number of places she had visited across the island. Crow and the others were already gathered over by the whiteboard.

"Carly, Jack, welcome," said Crow, as they hurried over. "We're nearly all here."

Carly looked around. Most of the participants were standing around, waiting; she recognised Rally, Blitz and Nerve talking in one group. Rua and Ruka were talking with Yusei and Aki over in another group.

"Still no Ushio?" Carly asked.

"Not yet," replied Crow. "He'd better arrive soon, or we'll start without him."

Jack had moved over to Yusei and was talking to him, arms folded. Carly followed him over.

"Face it, Yusei," he was saying. "This is the first step on my way to getting back my title. And with Carly helping me I can't lose!"

"We'll see," smiled Yusei.

Carly was about join in their conversation when she heard a familiar noise.

"That sounds like our team from the city arriving," she said. Jack looked at her confused for a moment before understanding.

"Oh yeah, I hear it now. The helicopter."

They looked up as the sound of the approaching chopper grew louder. The assembled crowd began to murmur and point as the helicopter emerged from the sky and descended on the duel field. As it slowly landed in the centre, it blew up a small cloud of dust. Ushio leapt out of the passenger seat, closely followed by Mikage. Both of them were dressed in civilian clothing and the security chief already had his duel disk set on his arm.

As Ushio waved goodbye to the pilot, Carly and Jack moved up to greet the pair.

"Good to see you," said Carly loudly, over the noise of the rotor. "Still a little surprised you decided to come all this way."

"I needed to get out of the office," smiled Ushio, shaking her hand as the helicopter took off. "And this sounded like fun. Besides, I would like to see Martha and the others again. It's been six months."

Jack was looking at Mikage suspiciously.

"It's you, isn't it?" he asked without preamble. "You're Ushio's partner."

"I am," she replied, a little defensively. Then her face softened. "It's good to see you again, Jack."

"It's been a while," he replied, nodding.

Carly decided to keep her mouth shut. The woman obviously still had feelings for Jack, feelings that he did not share. But she had been tangled up in their relationship before, back in the city, and knew her and Mikage weren't exactly on the friendliest of terms because of that. It wouldn't help the tournament to say anything to make it worse right now.

"Ushio," nodded Yusei in greeting as they returned to the gang around the whiteboard. "Good to see you."

"You too, Yusei. Not how we usually run into each other, is it?"

"Too right," he laughed. "Usually when we met, it was while you were chasing me through the streets."

"Okay, we might as well get started," said Crow, taking a thickly-folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"But, we're not all here yet," said Jack. "We're still waiting for your mystery partner, aren't we?"

The sound of an approaching D-wheel answered Jack's question. Carly could hear the hum of the engine as the cycle turned the corner and came to a halt next to the duel field. It looked very new, with large black wing-shaped twin spoilers flaring back from the driver's seat and the frame painted in a rich electric blue colour. Crow grinned as the driver removed his helmet.

"Kiryu! You made it!"

Carly watched in amazement as Jack turned to Crow.

"Kiryu? Kiryu's your partner?"

"Cool, huh?" replied the redhead. Kiryu smiled at Jack.

"Crow told me about a tournament you guys were running," he said. "I'm a little rusty at duelling, but I didn't want to miss it. Plus, I wanted to show off my secret project."

"You kept this quiet, Crow," said Yusei sternly as he moved up beside the redhead. "Anything else you'd like to tell us?"

"It was his idea!" replied Crow, laughing. "He wanted to make an impact when he arrived, and I'd say he's done that!"

Carly laughed. Wherever Kiryu had been over the last few months, it had obviously done him some good. People were crowding around the D-wheel, eyes following the lines of the spoilers, running their hands over the bodywork. Kiryu grinned at all the attention.

"Deliberately kept it all hush-hush, and it worked a treat," he laughed. "Completely rebuilt my old D-wheel from the ground up! I've been working on this for about three or four months."

"It looks great," replied Yusei. "We'll have to race sometime."

"If you like, but my engine's running better than ever. I don't think you'd keep up!"

"Ok, listen up!" yelled Crow to the assembled crowd. "Here's the rules!"

As Crow explained the rules to the crowd, he unfolded the piece of paper in his hand. As he finished, he took out a marker pen from his pocket.

"Here's the draw!" he said as he began to write names on the whiteboard. People began to crowd around, trying to get a look at who was facing who. Eventually Carly managed to get to the board and see for herself.

The whiteboard read:

Yusei and Aki vs Blitz and Nerve

Carly and Jack vs Ushio and Mikage

Crow and Kiryu vs Rally and Taka

Rua and Ruka vs Saiga and Uryu

"So who've we got?" asked Jack behind her.

"Ushio and Mikage," she replied. "We're up second, after Yusei and Aki."

"Heh," he laughed. "That's an interesting duel to start with!"

"Do you know much about their decks?" she asked, looking back at him.

"Not really," Jack replied. "I know he uses a standard Security deck most of the time; they're mostly about disrupting an opponent's strategy. He used some deck destruction cards in that duel in the hospital, too, so I guess we can expect him to try and grind us down."

"What about Mikage?"

"I've never known her to actually duel," said Jack, shaking his head. "So I have no clue what her deck will be like. I don't know if she will be very good though; we might be able to exploit that."

Carly looked back at the board again. Ushio and Mikage. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she thought about the first match. She knew them reasonably well now, or thought she did anyway; but facing them in a duel was something else entirely. And some of the other teams looked pretty dangerous; Crow and Kiryu, the twins, and of course Yusei and Aki.

She took in a deep breath, feeling the strength of the spirits inside her. She could do this. She was ready.

* * *

A/N: For clarification, Uryu is called Lenny in the dub, and appeared in I believe the second episode only.


	25. Chapter 25 - First Round

Chapter 25: First Round

* * *

The tournament began.

First off were Yusei and Aki, facing a pair of Yusei's friends, Nerve and Blitz. Carly had only met them a couple of times, but they were good friends with Yusei and seemed like nice people.

"Now's our chance to see what we're up against," whispered Jack to her. "I don't expect we're the only ones to have worked on our decks for the tournament."

Carly nodded, carefully watching the duel, analysing it for strategies and card combos as best she could.

The duel itself was short and one-sided, with Yusei and Aki quickly winning. Carly steeled herself; that meant it was their turn to duel, and she knew Ushio at least would not be a pushover.

"Next we have… Ushio and Mikage versus Jack and Carly!" cried Crow.

"You two ready?" asked Ushio, strolling onto the duel field, Mikage following and putting on her duel disk.

"Always," replied Jack. Carly thought he looked pretty determined, the way he always did when he was duelling. She moved to stand beside him, activating her own disk.

"The first two duellists to play will be Ushio and Jack," continued Crow. "You guys ready? Go!"

* * *

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 8000**

**Jack and Carly LP: 8000**

**Duel Theme: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Sound Duel Vol 1 – Speed World**

* * *

"My move first, then," said Ushio. "I will summon Assault Dog in attack position."

He placed the card on his duel disk. The armoured dog appeared on the field.

**Assault Dog – Atk 1200, Lv4.**

"Then I'll set a card and end my turn."

"Ok, my go then," said Jack. "I will summon Magna Drago in attack position."

**Magna Drago – Atk 1400, Lv2.**

The small, sinuous red dragon appeared on the field. It looked eager to attack, but Carly remembered that attacks were forbidden until each duellist had had a turn.

"I'll set a card and end my turn there," continued Jack, the set card appearing on the ground in front of him.

"Not quite yet," declared Ushio. "I activate Terminal Countdown!"

Ushio's set card activated, revealing a large bomb case topped with four red lights.

"Let me explain how this card works. While it's out, me and Mikage can't activate any other spells or traps. At the end of each of your turns, I can set a spell or trap from my deck. During my own turn, I can send all my set cards to the graveyard to deal you an amount of damage equal to the number of cards I send; five hundred for two cards, fifteen hundred for three, three thousand for four, and six thousand for five cards!"

"Wait, on each of our turns?" asked Carly. Ushio nodded.

"I picked up on the rules during Yusei's duel. The card states it takes effect during my _opponent's_ end phase, and technically me and Mikage have two opponents in this duel."

Carly looked at Jack in disbelief.

"He's right, Carly," he replied. "Even though we're sharing control of a field and life points, we're still officially separate opponents for them."

"Oh, right," she said hesitantly. She still wasn't entirely grasping the rules – shared control of cards, working as a team but each team member counting as an opponent. How many more surprises awaited her in this duel?

"But don't worry," Jack continued, "because it works both ways. There are cards we can make good use of against them in the same fashion."

"Anyway," said Mikage, "if you've finished, Jack, that means it's my turn. First I'll draw, and then I'll summon Spirit of the Breeze in defence position."

**Spirit of the Breeze – Def 1800, Lv3.**

The green-skinned fairy appeared on the field, crouched in a defensive posture.

"That's all from me."

Carly tensed. That meant it was her turn now. She was the last to act each round – hopefully she could use that to her advantage.

"Ok, my turn. I draw."

It wasn't a great starting hand. Her strongest creature was White Magician Pikeru; she'd have to start with that, and set her Mirror Force as a deterrent.

"Ok, I will summon White Magician Pikeru in attack position."

As she placed the card on the duel disk, the white-clad spellcaster appeared on the field, holding a faintly glowing staff.

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"Then I'll set a card and finish my turn."

"Just before you do that," said Ushio, "I'll activate Terminal Countdown again, setting my first card."

The set card appeared on the field, and one of the lights atop the large bomb went out.

"Now I'll draw," continued Ushio. "I will summon Gate Blocker in defence position."

**Gate Blocker – Def 2000, Lv4.**

The enormous monolith appeared on the field, turning the bluish colour which indicated a defence position monster.

"While this card's on the field, you can't target other monsters we control with card effects. That'll end my turn."

"Ok, here I go," began Jack. "First I'll draw! Then I'll activate the effect of White Magician Pikeru, giving us four hundred life points for each monster on our side of the field!"

Carly stared in surprise as the spellcaster raised her staff, which began to glow brightly with green light, increasing their life points by eight hundred. She hadn't expected this, but then she remembered – her and Jack shared control of cards in this duel. That made her magician doubly effective, since they could both use its ability!

**Carly and Jack LP: 8000 to 8800.**

"Next, I'll attack your Assault Dog with Magna Drago!" continued Jack, beginning his attack. The dragon's fiery breath struck the dog, destroying it and damaging their opponents' life points.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 8000 to 7800.**

"Not bad, but I'll activate Assault Dog's effect in response," said Ushio. "Whenever it's destroyed by battle, I can summon another one from my deck."

The second dog appeared on the field as Ushio drew the card from his deck and placed it on the disk.

**Assault Dog – Atk 1200, Lv4.**

"Now, I activate Magna Drago's effect," said Jack. "Whenever it does battle damage to an opponent, it gains two hundred attack points."

Red energy surrounded the dragon as it grew slightly in size.

**Magna Drago – Atk 1400 to 1600.**

"I'll finish off my turn by summoning Small Piece Golem in attack position, and setting a card face down."

The small rock figure appeared on the field as Jack's set card appeared behind it.

**Small Piece Golem – Atk 1300, Lv3.**

"I'll activate Terminal Countdown again, then," said Ushio. "I will set another card."

Another set card appeared on their side of the field, and another of the lights went out on the bomb. Carly saw there were only two lights left now; that meant the bomb could damage her and Jack for fifteen hundred if they set it off now, or more if they let it continue its countdown. They needed a way to stop it.

"Ok then, my go," said Mikage as she drew. "I will summon… oh wait, I need two tributes for this, don't I?"

"Two tributes?" asked Ushio, a little concerned, but Mikage didn't appear to have heard him.

"Ok, I will tribute Gate Blocker and Spirit of the Breeze to summon Athena in attack position."

The two tribute monsters disappeared, replaced by a noble-looking fairy carrying a long staff and a brilliant metallic shield.

**Athena – Atk 2600, Lv7.**

"I'm sure you've set a trap for us there, so I'll end turn without attacking," she finished. Ushio looked disappointed, but said nothing.

"Right, my go then," said Carly. "I draw!"

Ebon Magician Curran. If their traps could deter Ushio and Mikage from attacking, this card would come in handy.

"First I activate White Magician Pikeru's effect. We have three monsters, so that's twelve hundred points!"

**Carly and Jack LP: 8800 to 10000.**

"Next I'll summon Ebon Magician Curran in attack position."

The blond, black-clad spellcaster appeared on the field.

**Ebon Magician Curran – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"Next I'll activate Solidarity," continued Carly. "If there's only one type of monster in our graveyard, other monsters of that type on our field gain eight hundred attack."

Their graveyard was still empty, Carly knew; but this way, if one of her magicians was destroyed, the other would get a power boost.

"That'll end my turn," she finished.

"I activate Terminal Countdown, then," said Ushio. "I'll set my third card on the field."

The card appeared on the field, and another of the lights disappeared. Carly shared a look with Jack in concern. There was only one light left, now; that meant, if Ushio left it on the field on his next turn, Jack would have to find some way to destroy it, or they would take a big hit to their life points.

Jack looked back at her, smiling confidently. _Did he have something in mind_, she wondered.

* * *

Jack hoped his smile in response to Carly's frown worked to cover his own apprehension. He knew that if he didn't draw something now, they were facing a lot of damage. They had been lucky so far that their White Magician Pikeru had given them a nice life point lead, but that lead might disappear very quickly in the face of Ushio's trap.

"Ok, I'll start my turn," said Ushio. "First I'll draw, and then I'll set a monster in defence. That'll end my turn."

_Ok, here we go_, Jack thought. _If I don't draw something to destroy their trap now_…

"My turn. I draw!"

He shook his head at seeing the card in his hand. Normally, he would enjoy the sight of Dark Resonator, but not at this moment.

"First I'll activate the effects of our magicians," he said, as he began his turn. "First, Ebon Magician Curran does three hundred damage for each monster on your side of the field, and I count three."

Ebon Magician Curran gathered a ball of dark energy, which she fired at Ushio, depleting the team's life points.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 7800 to 6900.**

"Next, White Magician Pikeru gives us four hundred points for each of our monsters, and I count four."

**Jack and Carly LP: 10000 to 11600.**

As the magician's holy spell granted them extra life points, Jack was summoning his next monster.

"I summon another Magna Drago, in attack position."

**Magna Drago – Atk 1400, Lv2.**

The dragon appeared on the field next to its duplicate.

"Finally, I'll set a card and end my turn," Jack finished, grinding his teeth in frustration. He wanted to attack, but he and Carly had nothing to match their Athena, and he didn't have the material to synchro just yet. They would have to rely on their traps to keep going, for now.

"Well, I will activate Terminal Countdown one last time," said Ushio, "setting the last card."

As the set card appeared on the field, the last light on the bomb went out. Jack saw Carly flinch, expecting it to detonate, but nothing happened. Nothing would happen until Mikage's turn, when she would send the trap and the set cards to the graveyard.

"Next it's my go," said Mikage. "First I'll summon Key Mace in defence position."

The small blue-clad fairy, holding its giant key, appeared on the field.

**Key Mace – Def 300, Lv1.**

"Now I'll activate Athena's effect," said Mikage. "Every time a fairy monster is summoned, you take six hundred damage."

Athena lowered her staff and fired a wide beam of white, catching both Jack and Carly in its arc.

**Jack and Carly LP: 11600 to 11000.**

"Now I'll attack White Magician Pikeru with Athena!" Mikage continued.

"Wait, Mikage," said Ushio, as the tall fairy moved to attack. "What about their set cards?"

"That magician is giving them an endless supply of life points," she argued. "It's got to go."

"Jack," said Carly. Jack looked at her as she pointed back at herself; she wanted to activate her own set card. He nodded in response.

"I activate Mirror Force!" cried Carly, activating her trap. "It destroys all your attack position monsters!"

Ushio sighed loudly as Athena's attack rebounded, destroying her and the other Assault Dog and leaving only one set monster on their field. Jack smiled; Mikage had not been practising, as he had hoped.

"Oh, I don't believe it," she said. "I fell right into that. I end turn then."

Jack laughed as Ushio sighed again and hung his head. Mikage glared at him, but her glare softened as she realised her second mistake. Obviously flustered from Carly's trap, she'd forgotten to activate Terminal Countdown, and Carly now had a chance to destroy it before it could do any damage.

"It's my draw, then," said Carly, drawing her card. The expression on her face said she hadn't drawn what they needed, but she continued her turn anyway.

"First I activate the effects of our magicians. Because you have two monsters out, Ebon Magician Curran will deal six hundred damage to you two, and because we have five monsters, White Magician Pikeru will give us two thousand life points!"

As White Magician Pikeru cast her holy spell again, Ebon Magician Curran sent a ball of black energy streaking into Mikage.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 6900 to 6300.**

**Jack and Carly LP: 11000 to 13000.**

"Next, I'll tribute Ebon Magician Curran to summon this. Fortune Lady Dark!"

The magician disappeared from the field, replaced by the purple-clad fortune lady.

"Fortune Lady Dark gains attack points equal to her level times five hundred. Since she's level five, that's two thousand attack points," explained Carly.

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk 2000, Lv5.**

"But that's not all. Because I sent Curran to the graveyard to activate it, my Solidarity spell now kicks in, giving my spellcasters an extra eight hundred attack."

Green energy surrounded Fortune Lady Dark and White Magician Pikeru, raising their attack strength.

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk 2000 to 2800.**

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200 to 2000.**

"Now, Fortune Lady Dark, attack their set monster!" cried Carly.

The fortune lady's violet energy blast destroyed the hidden creature, revealing it as some sort of dog.

"By destroying Guard Dog, you've activated its flip effect," explained Ushio. "You can't Special Summon any more monsters this turn."

"That's fine, I don't need to summon anymore anyway," replied Carly. "I'm focusing on attacking instead! Small Piece Golem, attack their Key Mace!"

The golem's fist struck the fairy, knocking it over and destroying it.

"That leaves three monsters still to attack. They will attack you directly!"

Both Magna Dragos and White Magician Pikeru launched their attacks against Ushio and Mikage, damaging their life points significantly.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 6300 to 1300.**

"Since both Magna Dragos dealt battle damage, each of them gains two hundred attack!"

Both of the dragons seemed to expand a little in size as their attack points went up.

**Magna Drago – Atk 1600 to 1800.**

**Magna Drago – Atk 1400 to 1600.**

"That's my turn done," finished Carly.

"Well done Carly!" cheered Jack. "They're nearly finished now."

Carly smiled back, obviously happy with her turn. With only thirteen hundred life points left, Ushio and Mikage were in a tough spot. Victory was nearly theirs.

But Ushio still had his Terminal Countdown to use, and it was his turn.


	26. Chapter 26 - Power and Peace

Chapter 26: Power and Peace

* * *

Ushio began his turn.

"My turn, then. First I'll send Terminal Countdown to the graveyard – with four set cards on my field, that's six thousand damage!"

The bomb exploded with a loud roar, emitting a large cloud of smoke and heat. Jack covered his face as the holographic explosion spread over the duel field, thankful that they had built up a good supply of life points beforehand.

**Jack and Carly LP: 13000 to 7000.**

"Now, I'll summon Stygian Security in defence position, and set a card face down."

The set card appeared on the field behind the demonic sentry, who was brandishing a large siren.

**Stygian Security – Def 600, Lv1.**

It was Jack's turn again. He drew.

"First I'll activate White Magician Pikeru's effect. As we still have five monsters out, that's two thousand life points!"

Another wave of green energy spread over them as their life points rose again.

**Jack and Carly LP: 7000 to 9000.**

"Next I'll activate Fortune Lady Dark's effect, raising her to level six."

Dark energy crackled around Fortune Lady Dark's staff as she grew in strength.

**Fortune Lady Dark – Lv5 to 6, Atk 2800 to 3200.**

Jack debated for a second whether he should attack. Ushio's face down card could be a trap, but if it wasn't, they could win the duel right here. It seemed worth the risk. _Plus_, he thought as he looked at his cards, _I have the perfect backup plan_.

"Magna Drago, attack his Stygian Security!"

"Well, I'll activate its effect," said Ushio as the dragon's fiery breath destroyed the demonic sentry. "Since it was destroyed, I can Special Summon another from my deck, in defence position."

Jack watched as the second sentry appeared on the field. He had expected this, but Ushio hadn't activated his set card. Maybe it wasn't a trap, then? Maybe it was just a bluff?

"Now my second Magna Drago will attack your second Stygian Security!" said Jack, continuing the attack. He was going to win this duel right now.

Ushio grinned as he activated the set card.

"You fell for it. I activate my own Mirror Force!"

Sure enough, the dragon's attack rebounded, destroying all of their monsters; both Magna Dragos, Small Piece Golem, White Magician Pikeru, and Fortune Lady Dark.

"Jack!" cried Carly, looking concerned over the loss of their monsters.

"Don't worry, Carly!" he called back. "It's all part of my plan!"

She didn't look reassured at his words. That was fair enough; they'd just had a full field of monsters disappear on them. But he was committed now; there was no going back. He grinned at Ushio.

"Thanks. That was just what I needed. Because you control a monster and I don't, I can special summon this. Vice Dragon!"

**Vice Dragon – Atk 1000, Lv5.**

The green-winged dragon appeared on the field, roaring fiercely. Carly's concerned frown had turned into a wide grin; she knew this combo, and knew what was in store.

"Because I special summoned it, it loses half its attack and defence points. But it won't need them, because I still have a normal summon to use this turn, and I'm summoning this. Dark Resonator!"

**Dark Resonator – Atk 1300, Lv3.**

The tuning-fork-bearing fiend appeared beside the dragon.

"Now I tune my level three Dark Resonator to my level five Vice Dragon!"

Dark Resonator's form transformed into three stars, forming into a ring of green light. It passed over the dragon, transforming the beast in its wake.

"The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here! Take witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend!" chanted Jack.

The transformed dragon bellowed as it unfurled its now dark red wings, revealing the deadly archfiend with its wicked horns. Jack grinned widely as gasps and whispers echoed around the duel field. Every time the beast had appeared on the field in a duel, Jack felt invincible, and this time was no different. This creature was the symbol of his status as the King, and put fear in the hearts of his enemies. This was the power of the King incarnate!

**Red Dragon Archfiend – Atk 3000, Lv8.**

"Luckily for you two I've already attacked, so I'll just have to set this card and end my turn," finished Jack as the set card appeared on the field.

"I guess it's my turn then," said Mikage. She didn't look too concerned, but then, she had seen his ace monster before, even if it might be her first time duelling against it.

"I will summon my own White Magician Pikeru in attack position."

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"Next I will activate this spell card, Messenger of Peace. As long as it's on the field, none of us can attack with monsters with more than fifteen hundred attack points."

Mikage grinned at the move she had made, and Jack felt himself grimacing in anger. Just like that, her spell had stopped his strongest monster in its tracks. And with their own copy of Pikeru on the field, the life point cost of Messenger of Peace was effectively negated.

"It's my turn," began Carly, sounding a little uncertain. "Unfortunately I have nothing to play, so I'll have to pass this turn. Sorry Jack."

Jack nodded at her in response. She knew that if she summoned a monster and it didn't attack, Red Dragon Archfiend's effect would destroy it at the end of her turn. It was better not to waste monsters here.

"Okay, well it's back to me I guess," said Ushio. "First I'll activate White Magician Pikeru's effect, giving us eight hundred life points for the two monsters on our field."

White Magician Pikeru cast her now familiar spell, only this time it was Ushio and Mikage on the receiving end.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 1300 to 2100.**

"Now I'll activate Messenger of Peace's effect, paying one hundred life points to keep it on the field."

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 2100 to 2000.**

"Finally, I'll set a monster, and a face down card. That's all from me this turn."

Jack drew. Unfortunately, another Vice Dragon would not help him at this stage.

"I'll have to pass as well. There's nothing I can do this turn," he growled.

"Ok, my turn," said Mikage. "First, we'll gain twelve hundred life points from White Magician Pikeru as we have three monsters out, and then pay one hundred to keep Messenger of Peace on the field."

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 2000 to 3100.**

"Next I'll summon Happy Lover, in defence position."

The small fairy appeared on the field, wings folded over itself protectively.

**Happy Lover – Def 500, Lv2.**

"Lastly, I'll set a card and end my turn."

"Ok, my turn again. I draw!" said Carly. Jack looked over, hoping that she had drawn something they could use.

* * *

Carly gazed at the imposing figure of Red Dragon Archfiend as she began her turn. She could sense something from the creature, somehow. It almost seemed semi-real, more like one of her spirits than a simple hologram. But, how could that be?

_It is his Signer Dragon_, she heard Hikari's voice say to her.

_But_, Carly asked, _why can I only sense it now? He's used it in training and I never sensed it then!_

_Perhaps it is because this is a more serious duel_, she eventually replied, _rather than a mere practice duel._

"Carly?" called Jack. "Are you alright?"

She blinked, and looked back at Jack. Ushio and Mikage were also staring at her, standing there with drawn card in hand.

"Sorry," she said. "Anyway, my turn."

Carly looked at the card she had drawn, and grinned; it was just what they needed.

"I summon Fortune Lady Wind, in attack position!" she cried. The green-clad fortune lady appeared on the field.

"Just like Dark, its attack and defence are equal to its level, this time multiplied by three hundred; that makes nine hundred!"

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900, Lv3.**

"Now I activate its effect. Whenever it's normal summoned, it can destroy a spell or trap on the field, and I'm choosing Messenger of Peace!"

Fortune Lady Wind levelled its staff at the Messenger of Peace spell, destroying it with a blast of green energy. Carly tensed; now Ushio and Mikage were open to attack. But, that meant commanding Jack's strongest monster, his signer dragon. Could she command such a beast?

Red Dragon Archfiend turned its head to look back at her. Its gaze held a sense of confidence and superiority, of barely constrained fury. The intensity of the stare sent a chill down her spine. It reminded her of Jack, which she guessed wasn't that surprising. Could his description of this beast as his very soul be more accurate than he first thought?

"Go ahead Carly," said Jack. "They're open to attack. Go for it!"

Carly nodded back at Jack, smiling at his words, before turning back to their opponents, gritting her teeth.

"Red Dragon Archfiend, attack White Magician Pikeru!"

The dragon had begun its attack before Carly had even finished speaking, ramming the spellcaster with an enormous clawed hand, destroying it.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 3100 to 1300.**

_So far so good_, she thought. Now for her fortune lady's attack.

"Now Fortune Lady Wind, attack his Stygian Security!"

"I'm activating a trap," said Ushio. "Final Penalty! When a fiend-type monster is attacked and destroyed in battle, I can destroy the attacking monster and inflict damage to you equal to its attack!"

As the fortune lady destroyed the fiendish sentry, a black wave of energy emerged from its body, enveloping the green-clad spellcaster. The energy wave continued into Carly, damaging their life points.

**Jack and Carly LP: 9000 to 8100.**

"That's my turn over," she said, a little staggered by the loss of her fortune lady. _Still_, she thought, _at least their spell is gone now_.

"Ok, it's my turn," said Ushio. "I know how Red Dragon Archfiend destroys defence position monsters, so I'll have to summon this in attack position. Search Striker!"

**Search Striker – Atk 1600, Lv4.**

The metal-clad warrior appeared on the field, wielding two long wrist blades.

"Next I'll switch Happy Lover into attack position, for the same reason, and end my turn."

**Happy Lover – Atk 800.**

Carly gazed at Ushio's two attack position monsters, confused. The monsters would be destroyed by Red Dragon Archfiend's effect if they stayed in defence position, but even in attack position they wouldn't stop the dragon. Indeed, if Jack attacked either of them, they would win the duel.

"Ok, my turn," said Jack. "I will summon Mystic Tomato, in attack position."

**Mystic Tomato – Atk 1400, Lv4.**

The giant tomato appeared on the field, splitting into a wide grin and revealing a set of nasty teeth, matched by Jack's grim smile. Carly wondered what he was doing. All he needed to do was attack with his dragon.

"Now, Red Dragon Archfiend, attack his set monster! And that's not all. I'll activate my trap, Lineage of Destruction! By destroying your set monster, my dragon gains another attack this turn!"

The dragon leapt towards the set monster, clenching its huge fist for the strike. The blow struck the card image, revealing a strange metal sphere with two red eyes.

"Not bad, but by attacking Gonogo, you've activated its flip effect," said Ushio. "After it's destroyed, it flips your monster into facedown defence position!"

Sure enough, Red Dragon Archfiend disappeared from the field, replaced by an ordinary looking set card image. With the dragon unable to carry out its second attack, Lineage of Destruction disappeared from the field, its effect wasted. Jack shook his head in disgust as he continued his turn.

"Well, I can still attack your Happy Lover with Mystic Tomato!"

The tomato leapt towards the fairy, catching it in its wicked jaws. But a grin spread over Mikage's face as she activated her set card.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 1300 to 700.**

"Now I activate my trap, Human-Wave Tactics! At the end of each of our turns, for every level two or lower normal monster destroyed in battle that turn, we can summon another level two or lower monster from our decks. So I summon Mokey Mokey, in defence position!"

Another fairy appeared on the field, this one resembling a flattened sugar cube with tiny arms and legs.

**Mokey Mokey – Def 100, Lv1.**

"I end turn," finished Jack. Carly shook her head. Had the power of his dragon gone to his head in this duel? He was making basic mistakes she wouldn't expect him to make.

"My turn then," said Mikage. "I will summon Cloudian – Smoke Ball in defence position."

The fairy appeared on the field, looking like a small brownish figure made of smoke.

**Cloudian – Smoke Ball – Def 600, Lv1.**

"Now I'll activate Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying the set card on the far right!"

The conjured whirlwind appeared over the set card, revealing it as Shadow Spell before blowing it off the field.

"Mikage," said Ushio. "Search Striker can destroy any face-down monster it attacks without taking any damage in return. Use it to attack their archfiend!"

Mikage simply nodded.

"I'll attack Red Dragon Archfiend with Search Striker!"

"Not quite," smiled Jack. "Almost, but not quite. I activate Synchro Deflector! I can negate your attack, and destroy the attacking monster!"

Mikage gave Ushio a brief glare as Jack's trap card destroyed their warrior. Carly thought Ushio was smart in not trying to meet it.

"All right. I'll set a card and end my turn."

"My turn then," said Carly. "I draw!"

She grinned at the card she had drawn. It was time to end this duel.

"I activate my own Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your set card!"

The whirlwind returned for the second time in the duel, blowing away the set card and revealing yet another Mirror Force. Carly felt a thrill. Ushio and Mikage were wide open.

"Now I switch Red Dragon Archfiend into attack position."

The Signer Dragon returned to the field from its face down position, roaring as it sensed its chance at victory. Once again, Carly could sense the power coming from it. It was definitely no mere hologram. She took in a deep breath and focused back on the duel.

"I attack Mokey Mokey with Red Dragon Archfiend! And due to its effect, all your other defence position monsters are destroyed!"

The dragon's fist went straight through the cube-like fairy, shaking the ground with the force of its impact. A wave of energy emanated from the impact point, passing through the cloudian fairy and dispersing it.

"Now Mystic Tomato will attack you directly! Win the duel for us!"

The tomato leapt furiously at Ushio, biting him on the arm.

**Ushio and Mikage LP: 700 to 0.**

Carly and Jack cheered. They'd won!

"Good fight," said Ushio, coming over and shaking Jack's hand.

"You too," replied Jack.

"Best of luck," said Ushio as he shook Carly's hand and walked off the field. Mikage gave them both a polite smile before following. Jack slapped Carly on the back.

"Well done, Carly!" he said proudly.

"What happened, Jack?" she asked. "I saw opportunities in that duel, but you missed them. That doesn't seem like you. It almost felt as if you were toying with them at the end there."

Jack's face fell, and he hesitated.

"Ushio's deck did leave me a little flustered, to be honest," he said finally. "I was a little too eager to attack and a little caught up in trying to entertain, and kept getting caught by his traps."

Carly looked back at him. He was being honest, which she guessed had never been that easy for him to do. And even Jack could make mistakes, she admitted to herself.

"Anyway," he continued, his grin returning, "It doesn't matter! You attacked well, and handled Red Dragon like a natural!"

"Red Dragon Archfiend felt different, Jack," she confessed. "It almost felt a little bit like a spirit monster. It certainly didn't seem like just a hologram."

Jack looked at her in confusion. She decided maybe it was better to talk about it later.

"Don't worry Jack. Let's focus on the rest of the tournament."

* * *

The third duel of the first round was Crow and Kiryu against Rally and Taka, two more of Yusei and Jack's friends. Rally managed to do some early damage thanks to his Turbo Booster, but Crow managed to get them back in the duel with a Blackwing combo. On the side lines, Jack leaned over to whisper to Carly.

"Kiryu's still using his Infernity deck," he said, a little concerned. "You remember that one, right? Look at how he's emptied his hand. That powers up all his monsters."

Carly watched on as Kiryu bought out his Infernity Destroyer and obliterated Taka's Green Gadget to win the duel. She remembered that deck, all right. She was there when Kiryu had that duel against Yusei, the one that Yusei very nearly lost. They would have to be careful.

They finally reached the last duel of the round – Rua and Ruka against Saiga and Uryu. Carly didn't know these two very well; but knowing the twins as she did, she didn't see Rua and Ruka losing. Sure enough, the twins' burn strategy proved too much for their opponents and they won the duel.

"All right everyone, take fifteen," yelled Crow. "I'll be setting up the second round draw."

A hum of conversation sprang up as Crow began to write up the draw. Jack watched the whiteboard as Carly stood back, waiting a little anxiously. All the other teams in the tournament would be tough fights. Who were they going to get in the next round?

"Uh oh," she heard Jack say.

"Who are we facing?" she asked, looking over.

"Crow and Kiryu. We're going to have to be very careful against them, Carly. You know how Crow's Blackwings can come at you pretty quickly and they're tricky to deal with. And if that's not enough, Kiryu will be trying to empty his hand, and if he does he's going to be very hard to beat."

"But we can beat them, right? We have to!"

Jack nodded and grinned.

"Of course we can!"


	27. Chapter 27 - Signer vs Signer

Chapter 27: Signer vs Signer

* * *

The brief intermission came to a close, and the time came for the first match of the second round to begin.

"The match is Crow and Kiryu against Jack and Carly," declared Yusei, taking over as announcer for the duel. "Jack will take the first turn, followed by Crow."

"Ready to go?" yelled Crow, grinning. Carly saw Jack nod seriously in response and she activated her duel disk.

"Ready!" she yelled back.

* * *

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 8000.**

**Jack and Carly LP: 8000.**

**Duel Theme: Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories OST – Free Duel.**

* * *

"Here goes then," said Jack. "For the first turn I will summon Magna Drago in attack position."

**Magna Drago – Atk 1400, Lv2.**

"Then I'll set this, and end my turn," he finished.

"Ok, here I go," said Crow. "I'll summon Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind in attack position!"

The bird creature appeared on the field in a flurry of green and purple feathers, facing down Jack's red-scaled drake.

**Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind – Atk 1300, Lv3.**

But Crow wasn't done yet.

"Now, because I have a Blackwing monster on the field, I can summon this as well. Oroshi the Squall!"

Another small greenish-black bird creature appeared on the field, crouching down and covering itself with its wings in a defensive posture.

**Blackwing – Oroshi the Squall – Def 600, Lv1.**

"Lastly I'll set two facedown cards, and end my turn," finished Crow.

"Ok, my go," began Carly.

She eyed the two Blackwing monsters as she debated her turn. Since it was still the first turn, she couldn't attack yet, but she could still try to disrupt Crow's strategy. First she could summon Fortune Lady Wind and use its effect to destroy one of those facedown cards. Second, since Crow's Blackwings were exclusively winged-beast monsters, she knew that Secret Village of the Spellcasters would stop him casting his own spells in response.

"I summon Fortune Lady Wind in attack position," she declared, putting the card on her duel disk. The familiar green-clad spellcaster appeared on the field, as usual its attack and defence values determined by its starting level.

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900, Lv3.**

"Now I activate Wind's effect," Carly continued. "It can destroy a spell or trap on the field, and I'm choosing Crow's leftmost facedown card!"

The fortune lady lowered her wand at the card image and fired a bolt of green energy at it, destroying it.

"Next I activate Secret Village of the Spellcasters. While this field spell is out, we can't activate spell cards unless we have a spellcaster-type monster on our side of the field."

The village sprang into being around them, countless small huts nestling in the branches of ancient trees. The crowd murmured in appreciation at the sight.

"That's my turn done," finished Carly with a smile. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack nod in approval.

"That means it's my turn at last," said Kiryu. "First I summon Infernity Dwarf in attack position."

The squat figure appeared on the field, wielding an enormous flaming battle axe.

**Infernity Dwarf – Atk 800, Lv2.**

"Lastly I'll set a card, and end my turn."

_That's the first round finished_, thought Carly as the set card appeared on the field. It was Jack's turn now, and she knew he would want to attack as soon as possible. What did he have planned?

* * *

Jack smiled as he began his turn. Now that he could attack, he could clear their field; but first, they had two facedown cards, and he had the perfect card to spring one of them.

"First Fortune Lady Wind's effect raises it to level four, giving it an extra three hundred attack and defence points."

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900 to 1200, Lv3 to 4.**

"Next," he continued, "I'm activating this spell card, Bait Doll! With it, I can look at one of your facedown cards; if it's a trap card, I can force it to activate!"

Jack's Bait Doll appeared on the field, activating one of Crow and Kiryu's facedown cards, Gravity Collapse. As the trap card required a synchro monster as a tribute to activate normally, the card disappeared with its effect wasted.

"Well that worked," said Jack. "And even better, I get to put Bait Doll back in my deck. Now, I will summon Small Piece Golem, in attack position."

As he shuffled the card back into his deck, he moved to the next part of his plan, summoning the small rocky humanoid to the field.

**Small Piece Golem – Atk 1100, Lv3.**

"Now to attack. First, Magna Drago will attack Gale the Whirlwind!"

The dragon's fiery breath struck the Blackwing monster, destroying it and damaging Crow and Kiryu life points. Red energy surrounded the dragon as it gained attack power through its effect.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 8000 to 7900.**

**Magna Drago – Atk 1400 to 1600.**

"Next, Fortune Lady Wind will attack your Infernity Dwarf," said Jack, continuing the attack. The fortune lady obliged, destroying the dwarf with a blast of green energy from her wand.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 7900 to 7500.**

"Lastly, Small Piece Golem will attack your Oroshi the Squall."

As the small golem's stone fist struck the Blackwing creature, Crow was activating a card from his hand.

"I activate the effect of my Brisote the Tailwind! As you destroyed two Blackwing monsters in the same turn, I can summon this from my hand. I'll summon it in defence position."

**Blackwing – Brisote the Tailwind – Def 1800, Lv5.**

"Fine," replied Jack. "I'll finish with one card face down."

Crow's Brisote the Tailwind appeared in a flurry of black and yellow feathers, quickly moving into a defensive stance.

"That's my turn over," said Jack, looking over at Carly. She smiled back at him confidently, but Jack knew Crow's tactics. The right combo could easily change the duel in his favour; they had to be careful.

* * *

_Awesome_, thought Crow as he looked at his draw. _Perfect. Let's see what they think of this!_

"I'll summon this first of all. Blizzard the Far North, in attack position!"

The small bird with snowy-blue plumage appeared on the field in a swirl of cold air.

**Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North – Atk 1300, Lv2.**

"Now I activate its effect," Crow continued. "I can summon a Blackwing from the graveyard, and I'm bringing back Oroshi the Squall in defence position."

**Blackwing – Oroshi the Squall – Def 600, Lv1.**

A grimace appeared on Jack's face. Crow's smile grew in response. Jack knew what was coming.

"I tune my level one Oroshi the Squall to my level five Brisote the Tailwind! Pitch-dark power, lodge in its great wings and stir up divine winds! Synchro Summon! Gust fiercely, Blackwing – Armed Wing!"

Oroshi the Squall transformed into a single white star, which hovered over the head of Brisote. The star transformed into a column of green light, shrouding the Blackwing from sight for the few seconds the synchro transformation took to complete. Out of the green light stepped a tall, imposing black-feathered birdman, holding a long black spear.

**Blackwing – Armed Wing – Atk 2300, Lv6.**

"And that's not all," said Crow. "Thanks to Brisote's and Oroshi's effects as synchro material, I gain six hundred life points and I can switch one of your monsters into defence position. I think I'll go with Magna Drago."

The green column began to break apart, motes of light shooting into Crow and Kiryu and boosting their life points. At the same time, Crow heard Carly gasp as Magna Drago drew back to defend itself.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 7500 to 8100.**

**Magna Drago – Def 600, Lv2.**

"Awesome, eh?" laughed Crow. "Now, Armed Wing, attack their Magna Drago!"

"Hey, wait!" cried Carly as the tall birdman began its attack. "You just put our monster in defence. We won't take any damage!"

"Not quite," said Jack quietly. "Armed Wing has a piercing effect on defence monsters."

"And worse than that," added Crow, "it gains five hundred attack when attacking a defence position monster."

**Armed Wing – Atk 2300 to 2800.**

Armed Wing completed its attack, striking the dragon with its spear and destroying it.

**Jack and Carly LP: 8000 to 5800.**

**Armed Wing – Atk 2800 to 2300.**

"And I'm not finished," said Crow, as his monster's temporary attack boost ended. "Now Blizzard will attack Fortune Lady Wind!"

The white bird swept up a whirlwind of dust with its wings, blowing the fortune lady off the field.

**Jack and Carly LP: 5800 to 5700.**

"That's all from me, but that's probably enough for now anyway," laughed Crow as he ended his turn. He and Kiryu had the upper hand in this duel now, and as much as they were all good friends, he wanted to win this tournament. This was his chance to prove to the city that Satellite duellists were serious!

* * *

_That was a big hit we just took_, thought Carly as she began her turn. They couldn't afford to let Crow and Kiryu get away with that again. She drew, desperately hoping for a lucky draw.

Magical Dimension. She smiled, looking at what she had drawn. This card would do nicely.

"First I will summon Fortune Lady Water in defence position," said Carly. The blue-clad fortune lady appeared on the field.

"But blink and you'll miss her, because she's not staying. I'm activating a spell card, Magical Dimension! I can tribute Fortune Lady Water to summon White Magician Pikeru, in attack position!"

Fortune Lady Water disappeared from the field, replaced by the familiar short white-clad spellcaster.

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"But Magical Dimension has another effect. I can destroy one monster on the field, and I'm choosing your Armed Wing!

A burst of white light leapt from Pikeru's staff to strike the birdman, shattering it into pieces.

"Unfortunately, my monsters are weaker than yours, so I won't attack," continued Carly. "But I can play this instead. Mystical Space Typhoon! I'll use it to destroy that last facedown card of yours."

The whirlwind of energy swept over the field again, blowing away Crow and Kiryu's last facedown card.

"That will have to be my turn over, I guess," finished Carly.

"Good job, Carly," commended Jack.

"My turn, then," said Kiryu. He added the card he had drawn to his hand, gazing at them in silence for a few moments. Carly wondered if he was working on a strategy.

"I will summon Infernity Beast, in attack position," declared Kiryu, placing the card on his disk. The dog-like creature appeared on the field, flames occasionally emerging from its snout.

**Infernity Beast – Atk 1600, Lv3.**

Carly tensed. Kiryu had two powerful monsters on the field now, Infernity Beast and Blizzard the Far North, and their life points were in serious danger. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to announce his attack.

"I will set two cards face down, and end my turn," finished Kiryu.

* * *

Jack stared at Kiryu, and out of the corner of his eye could see Carly doing the same.

Why didn't he attack? Jack knew Kiryu could have destroyed both White Magician Pikeru and Small Piece Golem with his own monsters. Maybe he was concerned about his facedown cards? No, that wasn't it. Jack felt pretty sure. This was Kiryu, and if was anything like the Kiryu he knew, he was never cautious when it came to attacking. So that meant this had to be part of a strategy.

Well, he had missed his opportunity, and Jack was determined to make him regret it.

"Ok, well, my turn then. First of all, thanks to White Magician Pikeru's effect, we gain four hundred life points for each monster on our side of the field. After that, I'll summon Medium Piece Golem in attack position."

The magician's spell surrounded him and Carly with green light, bolstering their life total as the stone golem appeared on the field.

**Jack and Carly LP: 5700 to 6500.**

**Medium Piece Golem – Atk 1600, Lv4.**

"Next I activate this spell card, Shrink!" continued Jack. "I'll use it to half the attack strength of your Infernity Beast!"

The spell took effect, yellow energy surrounding the dog-like beast and shrinking it to a fraction of its former size.

**Infernity Beast – Atk 1600 to 800.**

"Now Medium Piece Golem, attack! Destroy his beast!" ordered Jack. The golem obliged, striking the creature with a stony fist and destroying it.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 8100 to 7300.**

"By destroying an Infernity monster in battle, I can activate this trap," replied Kiryu calmly. "Infernity Reflector! By discarding my hand, I can summon that monster back from the graveyard and inflict one thousand damage to your life points."

_I was right_, Jack thought. _He's trying to empty his hand. Well my own trap will stop you there, Kiryu_.

"That's all well and good, but I can reply with this," Jack laughed. "Dark Bribe! It negates your trap card, and that's not all. You get to draw one card as well! So much for your handless strategy."

Kiryu simply smiled and nodded; his unusual calm at seeing his strategy disrupted infuriated Jack. He would have to watch his old friend very closely.

"Well, that's my turn over," he finished.

"My go then," said Crow. "Since I have a Blackwing out, I can summon this without a tribute. Elphin the Raven!"

**Blackwing – Elphin the Raven – Atk 2200, Lv6.**

The large, hulking black raven-man appeared on the field, towering over Pikeru and even Medium Piece Golem. Crow was getting too many high level monsters out in this duel, and Jack knew they needed to put a stop to that quickly.

"Now I activate its effect," continued Crow. "I can switch a monster to defence position, and I choose your Medium Piece Golem. Next, Elphin will attack White Magician Pikeru!"

**Medium Piece Golem – Def 0.**

Jack grimaced as the larger golem crouched defensively. Crow had thought this through, looking to maximise the damage he would do this turn. He had to protect Pikeru; it would be costly, but he had to keep the spellcaster alive.

"I activate Prideful Roar," he replied as Elphin began his attack. "I give up a thousand life points to give Pikeru an extra thirteen hundred attack points, before your attack hits!"

**Jack and Carly LP: 6500 to 5500.**

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200 to 2500.**

Red energy surrounded him, flowing into Pikeru, giving her strength at the cost of his and Carly's own. Unable to stop its attack, Elphin's strike backfired in the face of Pikeru's new power and destroyed him. The red aura surrounding Pikeru faded as the effect ended, returning her attack strength to normal.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 7300 to 7000.**

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 2500 to 1200.**

Jack smiled at the expression on Crow's face. He did not look happy at losing another high level monster.

"Well, in that case, I'll just have to attack with my other monster. Blizzard, destroy White Magician Pikeru!"

Jack felt his fist clench as the other Blackwing attacked. He had run out of options, and could only watch as Pikeru was destroyed by the white bird's attack.

**Jack and Carly LP: 5500 to 5400.**

"I'll set a card face down and that's all from me," finished Crow. Jack looked expectantly at Carly. She looked a little nervous in the face of Crow and Kiryu's life point lead, but they couldn't let nerves get the best of them now.

* * *

"Come on Carly!" said Jack. "You can do it!"

Carly nodded, feeling a little more at ease, and turned back to their opponents. If there was ever a time to try and take control of the duel, this was it.

"Ok, my turn," she began. "First I will summon my second Fortune Lady Wind in attack position."

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900, Lv3.**

As the green clad spellcaster appeared on the field once again, she activated its effect, destroying one of Crow and Kiryu's facedown cards, before switching Medium Piece Golem back into attack position.

**Medium Piece Golem – Atk 1600.**

"Now, Medium Piece will attack your Blizzard!" she said, announcing her attack.

"In that case, I'll activate this trap," replied Kiryu. "Depth Amulet! By discarding a card I can negate your attack."

As her monster's attack was stopped, Carly heard Jack gasp and she looked around at him. Jack's expression was very concerned.

Then she realised why. Kiryu had emptied his hand again. He'd planned this from the beginning of the duel. And with Blizzard still on the field, she couldn't attack with Wind, as she initially had planned. She would have to end her turn.

"Ok, my go," said Kiryu. Looking at his card, he smiled.

"I activate the effect of the Infernity Archfiend in my hand," he said. "As I have no cards in my hand, I can special summon it in attack position, and can add any Infernity monster from my deck to my hand."

The skeletal monster appeared on the field, as Kiryu drew a card from his deck.

**Infernity Archfiend – Atk 1800, Lv4.**

"Next I will summon Infernity Guardian, also in attack position."

The fiery skull creature appeared on the field, next to the archfiend. Crow and Kiryu now had three monsters out, and all of them were stronger than hers.

**Infernity Guardian – Atk 1200, Lv4.**

"Now Infernity Archfiend will attack your Medium Piece Golem," said Kiryu as he began his attack. The archfiend's fiery magic struck the golem, smashing it into bits.

**Jack and Carly LP: 5400 to 5200.**

"Next, Blizzard the Far North will attack Small Piece Golem."

The Blackwing sent a whirlwind of ice into the smaller golem, freezing it in place before shattering. And Kiryu still had one more battle to go.

**Jack and Carly LP: 5200 to 5000.**

"Lastly, Infernity Guardian will attack Fortune Lady Wind."

The flaming skull threw itself into the green spellcaster, destroying it with a fiery headbutt.

**Jack and Carly LP: 5000 to 4700.**

"And, with that I end turn," finished Kiryu, smiling. Carly looked at Jack desperately. It was his turn, now; it was up to him to try and find a way to get them back in this duel.


	28. Chapter 28 - Teamwork

Chapter 28: Teamwork

* * *

_This isn't good_, Jack thought as he looked at his draw. Dark Resonator could help protect their life points for the moment, but it wasn't going to be enough on its own. Hopefully Carly could draw something useful on her next turn.

"My turn," said Jack. "First I summon Dark Resonator in attack position, and then I set a card face down."

The facedown card image emerged on the field as the fork-wielding fiend appeared in front of it.

**Dark Resonator – Atk 1300, Lv3.**

"That ends my turn," he finished.

"No need to sound so unhappy," laughed Crow. "My go, then."

He was grinning again; Jack guessed must have had another good draw.

"I will summon Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame in attack position," Crow said, placing the card on his duel disk. The birdman appeared on the field in a flash of blue fire.

**Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame – Atk 1800, Lv4.**

Jack's frown grew as he considered the field. Crow and Kiryu had four monsters out now, and Dark Resonator wouldn't last long against all of them.

"First of all, Infernity Archfiend will attack Dark Resonator," said Crow. The archfiend launched a bolt of fire towards Dark Resonator, but it nimbly dodged out of the way, the bolt instead striking Jack in the chest.

**Jack and Carly LP: 4700 to 4200.**

"Thanks to its effect, once per turn Dark Resonator isn't destroyed by battle," supplied Jack.

"I know that," replied Crow. "But since you left it in attack position, you still take damage. And I haven't finished attacking yet. Shura, go! Your turn!"

Another bolt of fire, this time electric blue in colour, struck the fiend and destroyed it. Jack glared in anger towards Crow as he took more damage.

**Jack and Carly LP: 4200 to 3700.**

"Now I activate Shura's effect. Since it destroyed a monster in battle, I can summon a Blackwing monster from my deck, and I choose Steam the Cloak, in attack position."

The small winged-beast appeared on the field in a cloud of smoke.

**Blackwing – Steam the Cloak – Atk 800, Lv3.**

"Now you're wide open to attack, Jack. Steam, Blizzard and Infernity Guardian will all attack you directly!"

Jack heard Carly cry out in anguish as Crow's three other monsters began their assault. He felt himself drop to a knee as a storm of wings and flames struck him. The attacks were obviously not real, like some duels had been in the past, but the blur of colour made his eyes sting.

**Jack and Carly LP: 3700 to 400.**

Jack quickly struggled back to his feet after the holographic flurry, growling. Even now, he was still the King; he would not bow to his opponent, not even another Signer, not even his foster brother! But, as he was recovering, Crow had one last trick up his sleeve.

"Just to finish this turn off, I synchro level three Steam the Cloak to level four Infernity Archfiend!"

Steam turned into three bright stars, which began to form a circle around the archfiend. Faster and faster they spun, obscuring the creature, forming a column of light.

"Darkened gales, become the wings which will soar to the heavens! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Blackwing Armour Master!" chanted Crow. Stepping out of the column of light was another creature, this one clad in fearsome black-enamelled armour.

**Blackwing Armour Master – Atk 2500, Lv7.**

"Just as well I can't attack with him, is it? I end turn for now," finished Crow, grinning widely. Jack looked desperately at Carly; it was up to her to find a way out of this mess now, and he could do nothing to help her.

* * *

_This is it_, Carly thought as she got ready to begin her turn. If she didn't draw something good now, they were sunk. But she had to believe they could still win.

"I draw!" she declared.

For a few moments, she simply stared at the card she had drawn, considering. It was a desperate play, but it might just work.

"First, I summon Card Ejector in attack position," said Carly. The tiny red-robed spellcaster appeared on the field in a flash of light.

**Card Ejector – Atk 400, Lv3.**

"Now I activate this spell card! Swords of Revealing Light!"

Crow gasped as the glowing swords appeared between them, blocking his monsters from attacking. And with Card Ejector on the field, he and Kiryu couldn't use spell cards to remove the swords. Carly hoped it would be enough.

"Lastly I activate Card Ejector's effect, banishing Blackwing Armed Wing in your graveyard. That ends my turn."

Carly heard Jack breathe a loud sigh of relief next to her, and allowed herself a small smile. They had bought themselves some time, but that was all. Crow and Kiryu still held the advantage.

Depth Amulet left the field, its three turns expired, as Kiryu began his turn.

"I will summon Infernity Beetle in attack position."

**Infernity Beetle – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

The large black stag-beetle appeared on the field. Carly grinned as Kiryu quickly finished his turn. She'd stopped their momentum in its tracks.

"I will set one card face down, and end my turn," said Jack, putting his set card into his duel disk. He sounded disappointed; no good draw for him, she guessed.

"I'll have to pass this turn," said Crow. "I've nothing to play."

Carly grinned, wider this time. Crow looked unhappy at having to pass, and just like that it was back to her turn.

"My turn, then. I draw!"

Another good draw. This time it was one of her fortune ladies: Earth.

_Trust us, Carly_, Earth said to her in her mind. _Let us guide you_.

She nodded to herself in reply. The spirits in her filled her with confidence; she was about to turn this duel around.

"First I activate Card Ejector's effect again, banishing the Infernity Archfiend from your graveyard. Then, I will tribute Card Ejector to summon Fortune Lady Earth, in attack position."

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2400, Lv6.**

"That'll end my turn," finished Carly, as the orange-clad fortune lady appeared on the field. While she couldn't attack this turn, Jack could attack on his next turn, and by then Earth would be strong enough to take down Crow's Armour Master.

"Ok, my turn," began Kiryu. "I'll set this card face down, and then switch Shura, Infernity Guardian, Blizzard and Infernity Beetle into defence position."

The four monsters turned a familiar shade of blue as they all crouched down defensively.

**Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame – Def 1200.**

**Infernity Guardian – Def 1700.**

**Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North – Def 0.**

**Infernity Beetle – Def 0.**

As Kiryu finished his turn, the swords of revealing light left the field, the effect having run its course. Jack drew, beginning his own turn.

"First, Fortune Lady Earth's effect raises it to level seven, increasing its attack and defence," he began. "Its effect also does four hundred damage to you."

Orange energy surrounded the fortune lady, boosting its strength, before she lowered her staff at Kiryu, striking him with a bolt of energy.

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2400 to 2800, Lv6 to 7.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 7000 to 6600.**

"Now, Earth!" Jack cried, continuing his turn. "Attack Shura!"

Another bolt of orange energy struck the fiery blue birdman, destroying it.

"Lastly I'll set this card facedown and end my turn," he finished.

Crow drew as he began his turn, and Carly looked at Jack happily. With Earth out on the field, they were in a good position; they had the strongest monster in play. But Jack wasn't smiling. _Does he know something I don't_, she wondered.

* * *

Crow barely even looked at what he had drawn. He knew he didn't need it. Their Fortune Lady Earth was powerful, but it was no match for his Armour Master. They had the duel won.

"First of all, I'll switch all my monsters into attack position. Then I'll summon Blackwing – Bora the Spear, also in attack position!"

The three monsters rose from their defensive postures into attack stances, quickly joined by a red-crested birdman holding an enormous black lance.

**Blackwing – Bora the Spear – Atk 1700, Lv4.**

**Infernity Beetle – Atk 1200.**

**Infernity Guardian – Atk 1200.**

**Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North – Atk 1300.**

"It's been a good duel, but it's time to end it," he said, grinning. "Once Armour Master attacks your fortune lady, it'll be all over!"

Jack's grim expression never changed – he obviously knew what was coming – but Carly gaped at Crow in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" she said. "Fortune Lady Earth is stronger!"

"Strength isn't everything," laughed Crow. "My Blackwings help each other out, and Armour Master is no exception. Its armour protects it from death in battle, and its other effect can reduce your monster's attack points to 0."

Carly's jaw dropped even further at the revelation, but Jack simply smiled.

"If you're so confident, then attack," he said.

Crow lost his grin. Jack knew his deck, and knew what was coming; but Crow knew him, too, and he knew that he probably had a trap waiting. Jack noticed his hesitation.

"This is your chance to win the duel, Crow," Jack continued. "Your chance to go to the final match. That chance might not come again. Would you really pass that up, or do you think I'm just bluffing?"

Crow considered his situation. Unless he could destroy their fortune lady, removing that facedown card of Jack's would be nigh impossible anyway. Attacking was really their only choice. _Plus_, he thought, _he's right; it's a chance at victory, and I have to take it!_

"Armour Master, attack their Fortune Lady Earth!" cried Crow. "Win the duel for us!"

The black-armoured birdman began his attack, gauntleted fist drawn back to strike at the fortune lady. Jack grinned as he activated his trap.

"I activate Shadow Spell! It stops your attack, and drops your Armour Master's attack by seven hundred!"

Dozens of black chains sprang from the trap card, snaring the Blackwing in mid-flight. Crow cursed loudly.

"I knew you'd fall for it," laughed Jack, but his expression quickly became serious again. "There was no chance for you to get to the final match, because we've already got this won. I'm the King, after all!"

"I end turn!" growled Crow. He knew he wasn't just angry at Jack's trap; he was frustrated because he'd convinced himself they'd already lost. Jack and Carly had played well. It wasn't over yet, though; with only four hundred life, he and Kiryu still had to be favourites to win this.

_We just have to hold our nerve_, he thought. _No more mistakes_.

* * *

Carly nervously put her fingers to the top of her deck, ready to draw. Jack had bought them time with his trap, and they'd built a little momentum. But they weren't out of trouble yet. She needed something she could use to keep them going.

"First, Fortune Lady Earth's effect raises it to level eight," said Carly as she began her turn. That means four hundred damage."

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2800 to 3200, Lv7 to 8.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 6600 to 6200.**

"Now I draw!"

_Brilliant_, she thought. This is just what they needed to get rid of that Armour Master.

"I summon Solitaire Magician in attack position," said Carly, placing the card on the duel disk. Appearing on the field was a small, blue-haired magician, wielding a short red-hued staff.

**Solitaire Magician – Atk 1600, Lv4.**

"Now I activate its effect. By dropping Earth's level from eight to five, I can destroy a monster on the field, and I choose Blackwing Armour Master!"

The magician raised her staff, orange energy flowing from Fortune Lady Earth into it. The energy formed into a glowing sphere, which flew from Solitaire Magician's staff and struck Blackwing Armour Master. Crow gasped as his armoured birdman shattered into a thousand pieces.

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 3200 to 2000, Lv8 to 5.**

"Now, to attack!" continued Carly, grinning. "Fortune Lady Earth will attack your Bora the Spear!"

The fortune lady struck the ground with her staff, sending spikes bursting out in a wave towards the Blackwing. But Crow was activating a card from his hand.

"I can activate the effect of my Jetstream the Blue Sky from my hand, sending it to the graveyard to prevent Bora from being destroyed," he said. The tiny red-crested bird appeared in front of Bora, taking the blow for his ally, before disappearing.

"You still take damage though, right?" asked Carly, disappointed Bora was still alive.

"I do," admitted Crow.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 6200 to 5900.**

"Ok, lastly, Solitaire Magician will attack your Infernity Guardian," said Carly. An orb of shimmering red energy flew from the magician's outstretched staff, passing through the guardian as if it wasn't there.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 5900 to 5500.**

Carly sighed. She had hoped to do more damage than she did, but at least their Armour Master was destroyed. She noted if she had attacked the Guardian first, it would have been destroyed as Crow had a card in his hand, but she decided not to dwell on her mistake.

"I'll end my turn there," she finished.

"My go then," said Kiryu. "I'll send Bora the Spear to attack Solitaire Magician!"

The birdman lunged forward with his lance, striking the magician and destroying it.

**Jack and Carly LP: 400 to 300.**

Carly winced. It was only one hundred damage, but they couldn't afford to even lose one hundred life points at the moment.

"Now I'll switch Blizzard, Infernity Beetle, and Infernity Guardian into defence position, set a card, and end my turn."

**Infernity Guardian – Def 1700.**

**Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North – Def 0.**

**Infernity Beetle – Def 0.**

The monsters moved into defensive posture as the set card appeared on the field. Inwardly, Carly cheered. As long as they could keep Earth on the field, they had a chance.

* * *

_Earth is the key here_, Jack thought as he began his turn. _We have to keep her alive at all costs_.

"First, Earth's effect raises it to level six, raising its attack and defence to twenty four hundred. Since it's gone up a level, it also deals four hundred damage to you!"

Another burst of orange light struck Kiryu as the fortune lady grew in strength.

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2000 to 2400, Lv5 to 6.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 5500 to 5100.**

"Now Earth will attack your Bora the Spear!" commanded Jack. Fortune Lady Earth conjured another wave of spikes, which struck the birdman and destroyed it.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 5100 to 4500.**

"Now I'll set one card face down, and end my turn," Jack finished, grinning widely; their opponents were nearly down half their life now. His grin broadened when he saw Crow's frustrated expression; his draw obviously wasn't too good.

"I will summon Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite in defence position," he said. The blue-haired birdman appeared on the field, poised defensively.

**Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite – Def 1000, Lv4.**

"That ends my turn," he finished.

"My go," said Carly. "First, Earth's effect raises it to level seven, and you know what that means. An extra four hundred attack and defence, and four hundred damage!"

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2400 to 2800, Lv6 to 7.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 4500 to 4100.**

"Now Fortune Lady Earth, attack his Zephyros the Elite!" she cried. Jack smiled as the fortune lady destroyed another monster. Crow and Kiryu were well and truly on the defensive now.

"Ok, that's my turn over," Carly finished. She was looking over at Kiryu, and Jack followed her gaze. Kiryu's expression had not changed much since the duel began, but Jack could see the concentration and determination in his eyes; he was not about to let this duel get away from him.

"My go," Kiryu said. "First, I activate the effect of my Infernity Archfiend. I summon it in attack position, and add an Infernity monster to my hand."

The fiery-haired archfiend appeared on the field, next to their other monsters.

**Infernity Archfiend – Atk 1800, Lv4.**

"Next I tribute Infernity Archfiend to summon Infernity Destroyer."

The archfiend disappeared in a flash of red light, replaced with an enormous muscled demon. It crackled with black energy as it clenched its fists in anticipation of battle.

**Infernity Destroyer – Atk 2300, Lv6.**

"But I am not done yet, you two. I synchro my level two Infernity Beetle with my level six Infernity Destroyer!"

Jack stared as the synchro summon began. Infernity Beetle transformed into a ring of green light, surrounding Infernity Destroyer, which transformed into a six-star pattern. He didn't know Kiryu had any synchro monsters; all the ones he knew of had been in his Dark Signer deck, which he presumed was long gone.

"I synchro summon Infernity Doom Dragon in attack position!" announced Kiryu. In a blaze of green light a large jet-black dragon appeared on the field, stretching tattered black wings and brandishing sharp claws.

**Infernity Doom Dragon – Atk 3000, Lv8.**

Jack heard Carly gasp beside him, and the crowd cheered their approval. He stared up at the sinister black dragon; Kiryu had obviously been busy rebuilding his deck while he was away. Now they faced down a monster Jack had never seen before, and at three thousand points it was a match for Fortune Lady Earth.

This duel was reaching its end, of that Jack was certain. This was his and Carly's last chance; if they couldn't stop this thing, the match was over.


	29. Chapter 29 - Confrontation

Chapter 29: Confrontation

* * *

Kiryu's Infernity Doom Dragon towered over the duel field. It wasn't a monster Jack was familiar with, but he knew that with three thousand attack points it meant big trouble. Kiryu smiled at the sight of his dragon, and Crow grinned. _They must think they have the duel won_, Jack thought.

But he and Carly weren't out of this yet. Big powerful monsters were a common part of Kiryu's duelling style back in Team Satisfaction, and one of Jack's facedown cards had been set for just such an event.

"Nice dragon," he called. "I've never seen that one before. That must be your ace, Kiryu."

Jack's face split in a wide grin as he activated his facedown card.

"But it won't matter! I activate my trap, Bottomless Trap Hole! It removes your monster from play!"

As the pit opened beneath the dragon, dragging it back into the earth, Kiryu's composure broke. For the first time in the duel, he looked stunned.

"I don't believe it," he whispered. He shook his head.

"I don't believe it," he repeated, his voice stronger now. "You've been setting us up all along. I should have spotted it. Well, that ends my turn, I guess."

Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed seeing an opponent squirm like this. Crow still looked stunned at seeing Kiryu's big play taken out. And it was only going to get worse for them.

"My turn, then. First, Earth's effect raises it to level eight. That means thirty two hundred attack points and four hundred damage!"

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 2800 to 3200, Lv7 to 8.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 4100 to 3700.**

_Just a little longer_, Jack thought. _If we can just keep her alive a little longer._

"Now Fortune Lady Earth will attack your Blizzard the Far North!" he continued. The fortune lady fired another pulse of energy from her staff, blasting the Blackwing off the field.

Jack grinned; Infernity Guardian was all that stood between him and Crow and Kiryu's life points. But he needed a way to destroy it; without any cards in their hands, it was still effectively invincible.

"That's my turn over," he finished. He knew if they could just hold on a little longer, they could win; but with only three hundred life points left, it would be close.

* * *

"Seriously?" Crow complained, looking at the card he had drawn. "Well, this is no good at all. I'll have to pass!"

Carly grinned. Crow's luck had obviously deserted him, and at just the right time for her and Jack.

"Ok, my turn," she began. "Earth rises to level nine, raising its attack and dealing you another four hundred damage."

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 3200 to 3600, Lv8 to 9.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 3700 to 3300.**

"Now Fortune Lady Earth will attack Infernity Guardian! And since you have a card in your hand, Crow, I can destroy it!"

Fortune Lady Earth's spike wave did not pass straight through Infernity Guardian this time; instead the spikes struck home, banishing the creature back to wherever it had come from.

"That's all from me," she finished. The pace of the duel had definitely slowed down, now. With Earth getting stronger every turn, and their Secret Village stopping Crow's &amp; Kiryu's spells, they didn't have a lot of options. And time was running out for them.

"Heh, I was bound to draw this eventually," laughed Kiryu. "Oh well, I can't use it now. I pass."

"My go then!" said Jack. "First Earth rises to level ten."

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 3600 to 4000, Lv9 to 10.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 3300 to 2900.**

Jack threw his arm out in a dramatic pose, obviously beginning the final attack of the duel. Earth was strong enough now to take out the rest of Crow and Kiryu's life in one hit, and they had no monsters to defend themselves with.

"Now, Earth, attack directly! Win the duel for us!" he cried. Fortune Lady Earth raised her staff, ready to launch her spike wave again.

"You haven't won yet," smiled Kiryu. "I activate my trap card, Zoma the Spirit. This summons Zoma the Spirit as a monster in defence position."

Carly saw Jack hesitate as the demonic spirit appeared on the field.

"What's wrong, Jack?" she asked.

"If I attack and destroy Zoma the Spirit, we'd take damage equal to Earth's attack strength," he replied. Carly understood; if that happened, they'd lose the duel. That clearly meant he couldn't attack this turn.

"So, in that case, I won't attack," Jack continued, turning back to Kiryu. "Instead, I'll activate this spell card. Shield Crush! It destroys Zoma the Spirit without damaging our life points!"

A beam of white light shot out from the activated spell card, striking right through Kiryu's spirit creature. Cracks spread along its form and it collapsed, Kiryu's face falling into a frown in concert.

Carly cheered; just like that, he'd found a way to come back. Now it all rested on Crow's turn. If he couldn't play anything, they would win.

"Here goes!" said Crow, drawing. As he looked at his draw, his face crumpled.

"Unbelievable. Of all the times… I pass."

The audience let out cheers and cries as Carly's turn began. They all knew what was coming.

"My go," she said. "Earth rises to level eleven, which means it gains four hundred attack and deals four hundred damage. Then it will attack you directly!"

**Fortune Lady Earth – Atk 4000 to 4400, Lv10 to 11.**

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 2900 to 2500.**

Fortune Lady Earth raised her staff, launching another spike wave towards Crow. He flinched back as it struck.

**Crow and Kiryu LP: 2500 to 0.**

**Winners: Jack and Carly.**

Carly and Jack hugged as they celebrated their victory. They'd done it! They were going to the final match!

"Well done!" said Kiryu as he shook the hands of them both. "You had a good team strategy, and while we got a life point lead at first, you held on to come back and win. Good work, both of you."

"Yeah, yeah," said Crow, moving up beside him. "Good job, you two."

"Don't be so bitter, Crow," said Jack. "You and Kiryu were a good team as well, and almost had us beat."

"I know, I know, you're right. I'm just disappointed. Winning this tournament would have meant a lot to me. But you're right. It was a great duel, you two! Well done."

Crow shook hands with Jack and then Carly. She grinned back, still buzzing about beating these two very capable duellists. But she and Jack would face two more in the final; whether it was Rua and Ruka, or Yusei and Aki, Carly knew the final would be another tough match.

* * *

The second semi-final began. Carly watched anxiously as the two teams battled back and forth. At first, Ruka's Ancient Forest and Rua's Morphtronic lock managed to keep them at bay, but when Aki summoned Black Rose Dragon and cleared the field, the twins were wide open to attack. With Yusei bringing out synchros of his own in the form of Turbo Warrior and Stardust Dragon, the combined assault was too much for the twins, and the victory went to Yusei and Aki.

"So, it looks like it's us four," commented Jack as the duel ended.

"Looks that way," agreed Carly. "Should be a good duel."

"I don't need to tell you to be careful," smiled Jack. "You know Aki, and I know Yusei. And they know us. Just play your best and we'll win this."

Carly nodded. They had prepared as best they could; now it was just down to the luck of the cards.

"Take five, people!" yelled Crow. "The final will start shortly!"

"Looks like I'll be getting my title back sooner than expected!" called Jack as Yusei and Aki approached them. Yusei smiled back at the remark; Jack never could forget the defeat he'd suffered at the Fortune Cup.

"I don't know if it counts in a tag duel. Does it?" Yusei asked Carly. Carly simply smiled and shrugged.

"Probably not, but I don't think it'll stop Jack."

The four of them finished their conversation as the crowd grew quiet, ready for the final match to begin.

"Ok everyone!" said Crow, loud enough to be heard around the duel field. "The final match of the Daedalus tournament is here! It will be Yusei and Aki versus—"

"Hey, what's that noise?" cried one of the onlookers.

Crow stopped in mid-sentence as others began to look around. Carly looked around as well, wondering what was happening, when she heard it. It was a heavy, regular beat; it reminded her of the helicopters she'd flown in, back in the city, only this sound was deeper in pitch.

"It sounds like a helicopter!" said another of the Satellite onlookers.

"Over there!" said Crow, pointing.

Every pair of eyes followed Crow's finger. Sure enough, Carly could see something approaching in the sky. It definitely sounded like a helicopter, but it looked and sounded bigger than anything she had been in before. As it got closer, she could see it was a long, heavy machine, powered by two rotors.

"That's one of Security's new transport choppers!" cried Ushio. "Why is that out here?"

"Maybe there's trouble in the city?" asked Yusei. "They know you're out here, right?"

"They do, but they wouldn't come out here, Yusei. If Security needed to contact me they'd call my mobile; they wouldn't come out in a heavy chopper!"

The large two-rotor chopper quickly reached the tournament ground, sending out clouds of dust as it hovered overhead. It landed in the middle of the duel field, doors on either side sliding open as it touched down. Emerging were several men and women dressed in strange uniforms; the uniform seemed familiar to Carly, for some reason. Each one carried a duel disk with a deck already inserted, from which they were beginning to draw cards.

"Get down!" Aki cried. "They're all psychics!"

People began to scream and dive for cover as the uniformed men and women started to summon monsters and activate spells. In the chaos a fireball streaked towards Carly, striking the ground just in front of her; the force of the blast knocked her down before she could react to shield herself.

"They're from the Arcadia Movement," Aki supplied, kneeling beside her to help her up. She looked very concerned. Carly's heart sank as she realised now why she recognised the uniform. She'd seen it before, at the Fortune Cup and during her foray into the Arcadia headquarters.

But more than that, she understood the implications. If the Movement was here, that meant…

She watched in horror as she saw Divine climbing out of the helicopter, closely followed by someone in red.

The attack from Divine's psychics had been quick and efficient, breaking up the crowd of spectators and cutting Carly and Aki off from their friends. She looked back at Yusei, Jack and the others, who were uninjured but now closely guarded by the psychics and their creatures.

She shared a glance with Aki, who still stood beside her. They had been expecting Divine's return for months; but he had caught them completely by surprise here, and he hadn't come alone this time. He had come in force.

"Magnificent, aren't they?" called Divine, motioning to his henchmen and women as he approached. "They won't harm your friends; not if they stay out of the way, at any rate. After all, you wouldn't want something to happen to them, would you?"

Carly cursed herself for becoming complacent, but this was not the time for regrets. She looked back at Jack, who had a frustrated expression on his face; he faced down the barrel of a Psychic Commander, controlled by a psychic even taller than he was.

"Jack Atlas, isn't it?" asked Divine, following Carly's gaze. "I believe this is the first time we've met. To be honest, I don't know what Carly sees in you. I was there to see your loss in the Fortune Cup, and I don't think you've ever had what it takes to be a good duellist."

Carly saw Jack's face contort in rage. She hoped he wouldn't try anything foolish.

"What do you want?" yelled Aki.

"Is that still so hard to figure out?" replied Divine. "I want you, Carly, and the other Signers."

Divine had stopped his approach, now standing only a few metres away from Carly and Aki. Moving up beside him was a young girl.

She was short, maybe about sixteen years of age, with bright red hair past her shoulders. She was dressed in an elaborate crimson dress, matched with red gloves and red boots, and wore a strange skull-like white mask which covered the upper half of her face. Despite the mask, Carly recognised her; she'd seen her in one of the vision portals in the Eye of Destiny.

That meant she had to be working with Divine. But just who was she? Through the eye holes in the skull mask, she could see the girl's green eyes blazing with supernatural intensity. _It's like I can feel the bad vibes coming from her_, Carly thought.

She heard gasps from around her, and looked around in confusion. Jack's eyes were wide as he stared at the girl in shock. Further off she could see Crow's eyes were also wide in recognition, and his mouth was working as he was trying to speak but couldn't find the words.

The girl folded her arms and stared at them all, a cruel smile forming on her face.

"Lilly?" Crow called. "Is that you?"

"Oh, you know each other?" laughed Divine. "That's amusing, but I'm not here for reunions. As I said, I am here to claim you all for the Movement. Aki, I want you back with us, and Carly, I have a place for you here as well still.

"As for the rest of you, the Signers...well, I know someone who has plans for you," he finished, looking at the red-haired girl.

"Do not forget our bargain, Divine," the girl replied. "You promised all the Signers. Even the girl."

Carly shivered. The girl's voice was ice-cold and emotionless, a monotone belying the unnatural, fierce glow of her eyes.

"Forget it!" snarled Aki. "Leave us alone! I'll never go back to you!"

"You're not in a position to argue, this time," replied Divine. "If you do, your friends will pay the price."

Carly's thoughts raced. Did they have no choice here? If she didn't cooperate, would Jack be hurt, maybe even killed? What about the others? She could feel anger building inside her, indignation at Divine's arrogant treatment of her friends and the people of Satellite. She knew he had a vendetta against them, but this was going too far.

And she wasn't going to let him get away with it any longer.

_You know what you must do_, Carly heard Hikari's voice say to her.

She nodded. She did know what to do. She'd had enough of this man. It was time to deal with him.

"Duel me," she said to Divine.

"Duel you?" he replied.

"This is a duelling tournament you've interrupted. So it's only appropriate that you take part. If you win, I will join your movement and you can claim the others. But if I win, you will leave, and never return. You will never trouble us again."

Divine looked at her as if she had gone insane.

"Why would I duel you, when I already have the upper hand? What would I have to gain?" he finally asked. Carly smiled in response.

"Do you think you will lose again? Is that why you reject my challenge?"

She watched as Divine's scowl grew in response to her jibe. She hoped it would work.

"Bold," said the red-haired girl. Divine glared at her briefly before looking back at Carly.

"Suit yourself. I accept," he replied. He slotted his deck into his own duel disk, and activated it.

"Good luck," said Aki, moving back to give her some space to duel. Carly nodded as she activated her own disk, realising the stakes if she were to lose. Her friends' lives were in her hands, now. She couldn't let them down.


	30. Chapter 30 - Fight for Survival

Chapter 30: Fight for Survival

* * *

**Carly LP: 4000.**

**Divine LP: 4000.**

**Duel Music: Phantasy Star 4 – Laughter.**

* * *

"I'll go first," growled Divine. "I'll set this and end turn."

The set card appeared on the field in front of him. He was obviously impatient to get the duel over with; as Carly began her first turn, she hoped she use that impatience to her advantage and lure him into making mistakes.

She frowned as she looked at her hand. Only one monster, Card Ejector; not a very strong start. And since she was working with her team deck, Divine's deck probably held the stronger offensive power, so Card Ejector wouldn't last long. Still, it was her only option for now.

"I summon Card Ejector, in attack position," she said. The small red-clad spellcaster appeared on the field.

**Card Ejector – Atk 400, Lv3.**

"Since you have no monsters out, she can attack directly," said Carly. Card Ejector pointed her staff at Divine, firing an orb of red energy at him and damaging his life points.

**Divine LP: 4000 to 3600.**

As she looked her hand again to plan her next move, Divine burst out laughing.

"I'm disappointed in you, Carly!" he joked. "I thought you had power in you, but I felt nothing from that attack!"

Carly tried not to look at him, and focus on her turn; but when Divine's laughter grew, she knew he had noticed her hesitation.

She was holding back, and she knew it. She hadn't fought a duel like this in months; all her duels had been regular, everyday duels, not duels of power like this. She'd gone so long without one that it felt automatic to not use her power in a duel.

But this was not a time for holding back.

"Maybe I'm wasting my time here with you," Divine grinned. "You have no power at all, really, do you? You're just another nobody that's in my way. Well, you know what I do to people in my way. And this time you won't be coming back!"

"I activate Secret Village of the Spellcasters!" cried Carly. "This field spell allows me—"

"I don't care," interrupted Divine. "I activate my trap, Raigeki Break! By discarding a card your Secret Village is destroyed."

Divine's activated trap sent out a pulse of energy around the duel field. The treetop village, which had only begun to appear, vanished instantly. Carly grit her teeth in frustration.

"Fine," she said. "I'll set this card and use Card Ejector's effect to banish the card you discarded to activate your trap. Then I'll end turn."

"My turn, then. I'll summon Mind Protector in defence position, and end turn."

The large metal golem-like creature appeared on the field, crackling with electricity.

**Mind Protector – Def 2200, Lv3.**

Carly eyed her cards with doubt. She knew she didn't have many options at the moment. _Maybe_, she thought, _I can at least slow him down for now_.

"I activate my field spell, Future Visions," she said. The field around them transformed as it was surrounded with a violet curtain of energy. Divine grimaced; he obviously remembered this card from their last duel.

"Lastly I use Card Ejector's effect to banish the Raigeki Break in your graveyard, and end my turn."

"This duel's gone on long enough," said Divine. "My turn. First, I pay five hundred life points due to Mind Protector's effect."

**Divine LP: 3600 to 3100.**

"Next, I activate this spell card, Psychokinesis. By paying another one thousand life points, I can destroy a card on the field, and I'm destroying your Future Visions."

**Divine LP: 3100 to 2100.**

The spell card sent out a pulse of light, and the shimmering energy curtain surrounding the duel field disappeared. Carly was not happy at losing her second field spell, but Divine was already playing another card from his hand.

"Next I activate this spell card, Psi-Station, and summon Psychic Commander in attack position!"

The commander appeared on the field, standing at attention in his cybernetic hovertank, waiting for orders. Next to him appeared a large metal structure, composed of four small pillars from which electricity arced to the top of a larger pillar in the centre.

**Psychic Commander – Atk 1400, Lv3.**

"That's not all," Divine continued. "I'm activating the effect of my Psi-Station, which increases Psychic Commander's attack by three hundred and its level by one. And all it costs me is five hundred life points!"

A bright arc of lightning fired from the Psi-Station, striking Psychic Commander. The hovertank began to crackle with energy as its power increased.

**Psychic Commander – Atk 1400 to 1700, Lv3 to 4.**

**Divine LP: 2100 to 1600.**

"You do realise you've spent two thousand life points this turn, right?" laughed Carly. "All to get a mid-strength monster on the field?"

"You forget that Psychic Commander is a tuner, Carly, and the best part is yet to come. Because I'm tuning my level four Psychic Commander to my level three Mind Protector!"

Carly was not laughing now. She watched in horror as Psychic Commander transformed into four rings of green light, surrounding Mind Protector. The rings turned into a column of white light, and a loud hum began to emanate from inside.

"Synchro Summon! Come forth, Psychic Lifetrancer!" chanted Divine as the light faded. Replacing Mind Protector was a teal-skinned cyborg, part machine and part human woman. Motes of white and black energy spun around it in a dazzling pattern.

**Psychic Lifetrancer – Atk 2400, Lv7.**

"Next I activate another spell card, Psychic Jump!" said Divine. "I use its power to summon Psychic Commander from my graveyard, in attack position."

**Psychic Jump – Normal Spell Card**

**Select one card from your hand, field or graveyard; move it to your hand, field or graveyard. If it has an effect, you may activate it if its activation requirements are met. If a monster card is summoned to the field, it is treated as if Special Summoned. A trap card returned to the field must be set and cannot be activated this turn.**

The commander and his hovertank returned to the field in a flash of white light. Carly's heart raced; against these two monsters, her Card Ejector was not much of a defence.

"Now Psychic Commander, attack her Card Ejector!"

"Not quite!" said Carly. "I activate Slip of Fortune! By removing Card Ejector from play for one turn, your attack is negated, and my spellcaster is safe!"

"You think I'm impressed?" laughed Divine as Card Ejector left the field. "The best bit is still to come. Psychic Lifetrancer, attack her directly!"

Psychic Lifetrancer gathered a flickering ball of white energy between her hands, before firing it out towards Carly.

**Carly LP: 4000 to 1600.**

The energy struck with force of a bolt of lightning, agony filling Carly as Divine channelled all his malice into the attack. The memories of her treatment at his hands sprung forth into her mind, and a burst of power raced through her. The pain ceased abruptly, and yellow light filled her vision. Divine's mocking laughter cut short as he gazed upon Carly.

"So…you've been hiding from me all along?" he whispered, before his voice rose in laughter again. "Hah! Wonderful! You'll make a fine agent of the Arcadia Movement."

"Guess again," said Carly, surprised at how calm she felt. The light continued to linger in her eyes, but she could see Divine clearly. "I have the spirits of my fortune ladies to protect me, and as long as they are with me, you will never defeat us."

Divine did not look daunted; he only grinned, looking like someone relishing a serious challenge. The red-haired woman, on the other hand, was staring at Carly intently with those blazing green eyes.

"I use Psychic Lifetrancer's special ability to banish the Mind Protector in my graveyard, and gain twelve hundred life points! That ends my turn."

**Divine LP: 1600 to 2800.**

"My turn," said Carly, drawing. She smiled as she looked at her hand; Divine was not going to get his way in this duel any longer.

"First, Card Ejector returns to the field. Then I activate my spell card, Lightning Vortex! By discarding a card, I can destroy all your monsters!"

Bolts of lightning fired out from the activated spell card, destroying both Psychic Lifetrancer and Psychic Commander. Divine did not look impressed.

"Now Card Ejector! Attack directly!" she cried. The small spellcaster launched another orb of fiery energy at Divine, but this time he winced visibly at the hit.

**Divine LP: 2800 to 2400.**

"Lastly I use Card Ejector's effect to banish the Psychic Lifetrancer in your graveyard, and I end turn."

"Come on, Carly," said Divine. "Think of what you could do with your power under my guidance! Join me and the Movement!"

"I know exactly how that would work out," retorted Carly. "Forget it. After I beat you here, you won't trouble us again!"

Carly felt another surge of power in her as Divine began his turn. She hadn't felt this angry, this vengeful, in months; but, as frightening as the idea was, if she was to truly outlast Divine in this duel, she had to accept and embrace that anger. With her fortune ladies to guide her, she was going to deal with Divine once and for all.

* * *

_Interesting_, Divine thought. _She's powerful, for sure. But how could she hide that power from me? And why does her strength feel somehow different from other potentials I've found?_

It would be something to investigate once he got back to headquarters; right now, he had to wrap up this duel.

"I summon Lifeforce Harmoniser, in attack position," he declared. Appearing on the field was a ball of bluish-white energy, with black spots appearing like some sort of face within.

**Lifeforce Harmoniser – Atk 800, Lv2.**

"Since I've still got my Psi-Station, I'll spend five hundred life points to increase my creature's attack and level," Divine continued. The energy ball began to glow brightly as its power increased.

**Divine LP: 2400 to 1900.**

**Lifeforce Harmoniser – Atk 800 to 1100, Lv2 to 3.**

"Now, attack her Card Ejector," he commanded. A hum rose from the energy creature before shooting out a bright bolt of lightning; it struck the tiny spellcaster on Carly's side of the field, which instantly exploded into a thousand shards.

**Carly LP: 1600 to 900.**

Some of the shards struck Carly, but her eyes flashed yellow again and she didn't appear damaged at all. Divine eyed her warily; ever since she'd started using her power, nothing he was doing was having its usual effect. He was accustomed to having his opponents in agony by now, but not this woman.

"I end turn," Divine finished. He guessed there was more to her power than just psychic strength; it would be something else to research, when he got back to headquarters.

"My turn," said Carly. "I summon Fortune Lady Wind, in attack position."

Before him appeared the green-clad fortune lady, holding an emerald-topped staff.

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900, Lv3.**

"Now I activate Wind's effect," she continued. "I can destroy a spell or trap on the field, and I'm destroying Psi-Station."

Fortune Lady Wind lowered her staff at his Psi-Station, destroying it with a bolt of green light.

"Now I activate this spell card, Time Passage. It increases the level of my Fortune Lady Wind by three for this turn; that makes her level six."

Orange energy surrounded the fortune lady. Divine watched as its speed began to increase, its movements growing quicker and more precise.

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900 to 1800, Lv3 to 6.**

"Now Wind will attack your Lifeforce Harmoniser," commanded Carly. Another burst of light from the fortune lady's staff struck the ball of psychic energy, dispersing it.

**Divine LP: 1900 to 1200.**

"I end turn. Time Passage's effect ends, returning Fortune Lady Wind's level to three."

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 1800 to 900, Lv6 to 3.**

Divine had been noting the cards she had been playing through the duel. He was surprised how strong her deck was now, compared to her pitiful fortune telling deck she used in their first duel. She had obviously been working on it, and being around duellists like Jack Atlas had probably helped her as well.

But nobody knew how to build a deck like him. With his help, her deck would be even stronger.

"Impressive, Carly," he taunted. "The ability to control time itself. You'll make an excellent addition to the Movement."

"Just go," said Carly. She still sounded calm, but Divine knew he was getting to her.

"Fine. I set this card and end my turn," he finished. She might have destroyed his synchro monster, but he had the life advantage. Soon enough, she would lose.

* * *

"First, Fortune Lady Wind grows to level four, giving her an extra three hundred attack and defence," said Carly as she began her turn.

**Fortune Lady Wind – Atk 900 to 1200, Lv3 to 4.**

Divine didn't have a monster out, only a single facedown card. That meant he was open to attack, and Carly knew she couldn't let his facedown put her off. Attacking now would win the duel.

"Now Fortune Lady Wind attacks you directly."

"I activate Call of the Haunted," said Divine. "I'm using it to bring back Psychic Commander, in attack position."

The commander of Divine's psychic army returned to the field, waiting for orders.

**Psychic Commander – Atk 1400, Lv3.**

"Ok, I won't attack," said Carly. "Instead I'll activate this field spell – Secret Village of the Spellcasters."

The treetop huts returned to the field as the secret village appeared around them.

"That ends my turn."

"My turn," said Divine. "Now Psychic Commander will attack your Fortune Lady Wind."

A blast from the commander's hovertank struck Wind, destroying the fortune lady.

**Carly LP: 900 to 700.**

"That's all for this turn," finished Divine. It was Carly's turn again, and she knew that if she couldn't defend herself here, the duel was over.

She looked at her hand, but nothing in there looked of any use to her right now. She had drawn Mirror Force, though; if she could lure Divine into attacking, she could last another turn.

"I set one card face down and end my turn," she said.

"That's it?" scoffed Divine. "Fine. My turn, and I attack you directly with Psychic Commander. Time for you to join the Movement, Carly!"

That was just what she had been waiting for.

"I activate Mirror Force! This card destroys your Psychic Commander."

Psychic Commander's attack struck an invisible barrier, which reflected the attack back at Divine's creature and destroyed it. Divine didn't look fazed, though.

"You can't hold on forever, Carly. I end turn for now."

Carly was desperate for a card to turn the duel around; there wasn't a lot of time left. She closed her eyes, focusing her strength, as she drew her card.

_Yes, Carly,_ she heard Hikari say. _It is time_.


	31. Chapter 31 - Light and Dark

Chapter 31 – Light and Dark

* * *

"I summon Fortune Lady Light, in attack position."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 200, Lv1.**

Divine watched with interest as the Fortune Lady appeared on the field, her staff glowing brightly.

"Fascinating," he breathed, analysing Carly's new monster like some sort of science exhibit. "I can sense power in your monster, your power. Almost as if… as if the card itself tapped into your power somehow."

"Not so, Divine," replied Fortune Lady Light, before Carly could answer. "It is because Carly and I are linked, closer so than you realise."

Gasps rang out around the duel field, from onlookers being carefully watched by psychic guards to Divine himself, facing her across the field. Carly stared at Fortune Lady Light in shock before grinning. She had done more than just summon a monster. Facing Divine wasn't a simple hologram – it was Hikari herself!

"What—"began Divine, but he quickly regained his composure. His own grin returned as he considered the implications.

"Incredible. Now I understand, Carly. Your Fortune Lady is a duel monster spirit! And she has linked with you, somehow."

Carly ignored him. Her secret was out of the bag, now. She'd counted on Divine's lack of understanding of her power to help her, but that advantage was gone. She had to finish this duel quickly.

"I have seen cases of this before, in the Movement," Divine was continuing. "Usually the person involved is unaware of their connection. I had theorised that duel monster spirits and psychic power were related, and you, Carly, have provided more proof for my theory."

"I'm not interested in your theories!" retorted Carly. "Only in winning this duel, and it's still my turn. Fortune Lady Light will attack you directly."

A flash of yellow light from Hikari's staff struck Divine, and he flinched back in surprise.

**Divine LP: 1200 to 1000.**

"That ends my turn," she finished. Divine might be fascinated with his theories, but he still threatened Carly's friends, and the people of Satellite. She wasn't going to be distracted from the duel. And she still had a long way to go to defeat him, but Hikari was here to guide her; as long as Hikari stayed on the field, she had a chance.

"My go then," said Divine. "I set a monster face down and end my turn."

"Back to me, then," said Carly. "First, Light rises to level two, bringing her attack and defence to four hundred."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 200 to 400, Lv1 to 2.**

"Now, Fortune Lady Light attacks your defence position monster."

Another burst of light from Hikari's staff shot towards Divine, striking his defending monster; it revealed the creature as a small humanoid, wearing a doctor's coat and a large helmet covered with glowing lightbulbs.

"I now activate Doctor Cranium's effect," said Divine. "By paying eight hundred life points, I can add one Psychic-type monster from my deck to my hand."

**Divine LP: 1000 to 200.**

Carly barely suppressed a sigh of relief; she'd recklessly attacked, trying to keep up the pressure, while forgetting that Hikari only had four hundred attack points to her name. If Divine's monster had been stronger, it could have cost her the duel. At least she had a life point lead, and more monsters out than Divine did; but she knew he had some powerful monsters still in his deck. She needed to be more cautious.

"I activate Swords of Revealing Light," Carly said, putting the card into her duel disk. The glowing swords appeared on the field, surrounding Divine.

"That ends my turn," she finished.

"My turn," said Divine. "I summon Genetic Woman, in attack position."

The cybernetic woman appeared on the field, brandishing an enormous clawed fist.

**Genetic Woman – Atk 1700, Lv4.**

"You're lucky I can't attack because of your Swords," mocked Divine. "So I'll end turn there."

"My turn. Light rises to level three."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 400 to 600, Lv2 to 3.**

She sighed as she looked at her draw. Fortune's Future was good, but she needed a banished monster to use it with, which she didn't currently have. She'd have to keep stalling for time.

"I pass."

"My turn again. I will just set this one card and finish the turn."

"What's the matter?" laughed Carly. "Out of ideas? I thought you were in a hurry?"

"I am a busy man, Carly," replied Divine. "But I'm a professional, and I'm more than happy to take my time if it means claiming you for the Movement."

"Not going to happen. My turn. Light rises to level four."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 600 to 800, Lv3 to 4.**

Carly grinned as she looked her draw. This was just what she needed.

"I summon Catoblepas the Witch of Fate in attack position," she cried as she summoned her monster. Appearing on the field was a green-haired magician in a purple robe and hat, riding on the back of a large horned creature and carrying an ornate golden staff.

**Catoblepas the Witch of Fate – Atk 1800, Lv4.**

"Now, I attack Genetic Woman with Catoblepas," cried Carly. The magician lowered her staff at the psychic, preparing to attack, but Divine was activing his set card.

"I activate Raigeki Break, discarding a card to destroy your monster."

The witch's spell backfired, a blast of energy destroying her and her creature. Carly shrunk back as they exploded into a thousand shards. That was not the outcome she had hoped for.

"Well, I guess I end turn then," she muttered. She only had one more turn on her Swords of Revealing Light, and his Genetic Woman was still on the field. Only Hikari stood between her and Divine's victory. Could she still win?

"My turn," said Divine. "I summon Telekinetic Shocker in attack position."

**Telekinetic Shocker – Atk 1700, Lv4.**

Divine ended his turn as the astronaut-like creature appeared on the field, gathering psychic energy between its palms. The Swords of Revealing Light faded as their effect ended. Carly knew she couldn't stall for time any longer.

"My go then," began Carly. "First Light rises to level five."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 800 to 1000, Lv4 to 5.**

She smiled at what she had drawn. Solidarity. This card represented the hope and support everyone had given her; Hikari, her friends, all the people of Satellite. And now that support was going to keep her in this duel.

"I activate this spell card, Solidarity," she declared. "This raises the attack strength of Fortune Lady Light by another eight hundred."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 1000 to 1800.**

The yellow gem atop the fortune lady's staff flared with bright light. The onlookers of Satellite had to quickly shield their eyes at the glare, as did Divine.

"Now I attack Genetic Woman with Fortune Lady Light," Carly commanded. Hikari pointed her staff at Divine's monster and shot a ray of brilliant light out towards it. The cybernetic woman tried to resist the attack, but failed, destroyed by the beam of light.

**Divine LP: 200 to 100.**

"That's my turn over," Carly finished.

"About time," replied Divine. "Because this duel has gone on long enough. My turn."

Divine drew his card, and his face lit up in satisfaction.

"I summon the level one tuner monster Mind Master, and tune it to my level four Telekinetic Shocker!"

**Mind Master – Atk 100, Lv1.**

The eerie creature appeared on the field for an instant, a large brain encased in a metal and glass sphere, before it transformed into a ring of green light. The ring passed over Telekinetic Shocker and began to spin in three dimensions, forming a cocoon of green light over the creature.

"My flames of hatred, inflamed within the abyss of my heart, become the black raging waves that will overrun this world. Synchro Summon! Appear now, Magical Android!" chanted Divine. Carly watched with dread as another cybernetic woman emerged from the cocoon, this one holding a sword and shield bearing glowing veins of blue energy.

**Magical Android – Atk 2400, Lv5.**

"Time to come home to where you belong, Carly. Magical Android, attack Fortune Lady Light!" ordered Divine. Magical Android raised her cybernetic sword and fired a bolt of white energy at the fortune lady.

"Hikari!" screamed Carly, as Hikari was struck full on by the energy bolt, disappearing in a bright flash. The bolt continued into Carly, the pain driving her to her knees.

**Carly LP: 700 to 100.**

She grit her teeth and got back to her feet. The attack was full of Divine's usual malice, but losing Hikari made it even more painful; she cared for all her fortune ladies, but Hikari most of all. Carly felt that her appearance had been the representation of her hope for victory. Maybe her last hope for victory.

And now, she was gone.

"You looked much better when you were on your knees, Carly," smirked Divine. "And you will be there again, soon enough. I activate Magical Android's effect, giving me six hundred life points for every Psychic-type creature on the field, and end my turn."

A pulse of green energy fired from Magical Android's sword, surrounding Divine and boosting his life points.

**Divine LP: 100 to 700.**

Carly knew it was her turn again, but that last attack and Hikari's demise still troubled her. What if she couldn't win this? Divine had a powerful monster out now, and Carly's field was empty. What could she really do to survive at this point?

_Trust yourself, Carly_, said a quiet but familiar voice inside her. Carly's heart leapt, and she closed her eyes.

_Hikari_, she asked silently, desperately, _are you still there?_

_Yes_, came the reply. _Do not fear. We are a part of you; as long as you survive, we will survive_.

Carly knew Hikari's words were just what she needed to hear. She could still win this duel, as long as she kept her self-belief. As she opened her eyes and looked back at Divine, at that familiar expression of smug confidence on his face, the relief turned to anger. She had seen that expression once too often, and it was time she removed it for good.

"My turn," she snarled. Eyeing her card, a plan formed in her mind, and she knew what to do.

"I set a card face down and end my turn."

"That's all?" scoffed Divine. "That's an anti-climax, Carly. Oh well. I will attack you directly with Magical Android."

The psychic creature sprung forward, sword lowered. Carly grinned as she activated her set card.

"I activate my own Call of the Haunted, summoning Catoblepas the Witch of Fate in attack position."

**Catoblepas the Witch of Fate – Atk 1800 to 2600, Lv4.**

The purple-clad witch reappeared on the field, sparking with power as it gained the boost from Solidarity. Divine's grin slipped from his face.

"I see. Well I'll have to end my turn then, but I still gain life points from Magical Android's effect."

**Divine LP: 700 to 1300.**

Magical Android's pulse of green light shone over Divine. Carly wasted no time in drawing, and smiled as she looked at the card she had drawn. She only had one hundred life points to Divine's thirteen hundred, but thanks to the support of her Fortune Ladies, and the solidarity of her friends, in her hand was the instrument of her victory.

"I tribute my Catoblepas for Fortune Lady Dark, in attack position."

The beast-riding spellcaster was replaced by the purple-clad fortune lady, bearing a staff topped with a large amethyst, which crackled with power as it gained the Solidarity boost.

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk 2000 to 2800, Lv5.**

"Now I attack Magical Android with Fortune Lady Dark," ordered Carly. Fortune Lady Dark fired a wave of black energy from her staff, just as Magical Android replied with a wave of light energy of her own. The two blasts met in mid-air with a loud crackling sound, but the android's energy was insufficient. The black wave struck the psychic creature and destroyed it, Divine wincing in obvious pain as his creature fell.

**Divine LP: 1300 to 900.**

But Carly wasn't finished.

"Now I activate Fortune Lady Dark's effect, summoning Fortune Lady Light in attack position."

**Fortune Lady Light – Atk 200 to 1000, Lv1.**

Fortune Lady Light reappeared on the field, and both she and Fortune Lady Dark turned to face Carly, giving small bows of respect. Whispers spread once more around the onlookers from Satellite at the sight, and Divine's eyebrows climbed nearly to his hairline.

"No, no, this can't be right. Spirits can only manifest themselves, but there are two of you!" he exclaimed. Then, as he realised what he had said, the implications of it struck home, and his eyebrows climbed even higher.

"Carly is under our protection," said An, the spirit of Fortune Lady Dark. "Our spirits are linked with hers—"

"And hers with ours," finished Hikari, the spirit of Fortune Lady Light. "All of ours."

Of their own volition, four more Fortune Ladies appeared on the field, the spirits of Earth, Fire, Wind and Water, moving to stand alongside An and Hikari. Carly nodded, smiling at the sight of her fortune ladies. She looked around at her friends; Jack, Yusei, Aki. They all smiled back, nodding in approval. Jack grinned and gave her a thumbs up. She looked back at Divine, who still looked stunned.

"Then…that time in Satellite, months ago…but how? How is this possible?"

"With the support of my Fortune Ladies, your fate is sealed, Divine," said Carly. "Fortune Lady Light, attack him directly!"

Hikari flourished her staff, sending another burst of light straight into Divine, knocking him off his feet.

**Divine LP: 900 to 0.**

**Winner: Carly Nagisa.**

"But…this can't be!" yelled Divine, struggling back to his feet. "I am the better duellist! How could I lose?"

"It's as Hikari said, back when you first met her," replied Carly. "Our power comes from our belief in ourselves and each other. We support each other. But you don't support anyone. Your power is based on anger and hatred, and it limits you. And because of that, you will never be the better duellist, Divine. Now, get out of here, and don't come back! Those were the terms of the duel!"

"Forget it!" shot back Divine. "I never agreed to those terms. I've wasted enough time here on this nonsense. You are all coming with me right now!"

"Don't count on it!" said Jack, as he lunged at the psychic guarding him. Taken off guard, he grunted in pain as Jack drove his shoulder into the man's stomach.

As if Jack's actions were a signal, the other Signers began to fight back against the psychics. Yusei dodged a fireball to strike the psychic who had cast it, knocking him sprawling, while Crow and Kiryu ganged up on another. A third was blown back as Aki called on monsters of her own to join the struggle.

Divine growled and began to pull a card from his deck, but Carly was too quick for him. A blast from Hikari's staff struck him and knocked him staggering backwards. Around him, his psychics were also being driven back by the resurgent duellists of Satellite. Clutching his chest, Divine got back to his feet, staring daggers at Carly.

"This isn't over!" he yelled, beginning to retreat to the safety of the chopper. "You are mine, and someday I will be back to claim you. You and Aki, both! You will all be mine!"

He scrambled back onto the chopper, followed by his beaten henchmen. All save the red-haired girl; she made no move to join them, remaining standing where she was, arms folded, watching Divine as he retreated.

"We have to stop them escaping," said Jack, as the chopper began to lift off. "Or he will only regroup and come back again. Is there any way of stopping the helicopter?"

"I don't have any way of bringing it down," admitted Ushio. "I can notify Security but that is all I can do here."

"I'll stop it," supplied Carly. Hikari and An were still standing beside her, and An lowered her staff at the helicopter's fuselage.

The red-haired girl raised one of her arms in the air, a reddish-black aura beginning to form around it. Cold blackness surrounded Carly, and she felt her limbs beginning to go numb and stiff. She tried to move around, but her arms felt as if they had been weighed down with stone, and they refused to move. She looked around for her friends, but all she could see was darkness.

Gathering her will, a familiar flare of yellow light filled Carly's eyes, and she could move again. As she looked around, she saw her friends frozen like statues where they stood. The blackness had receded, but it surrounded them all like a cocoon. Hikari and An were nowhere to be seen. Standing across from her, arm still high in the air, was the red-haired girl.

"Well, now," she began. "You are quite the surprise. I think I can understand Divine's frustration with you."

"What do you mean?" demanded Carly. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The girl ignored her questions. "The time of revenge draws near, but I am in need of powerful servants. You do not need to suffer along with your friends. Help me defeat the Signers, and the master will give you a place in the new order."

"Forget it!" replied Carly. "I will never abandon Jack, or the other Signers. If you plan to fight them, you'll have to fight me too!"

"Suit yourself. But be warned. I am not merciful. Impede our mission and you will pay with your soul."

As Carly watched, the girl's form turned pitch-black, and seemed to fade into the darkness surrounding them. The black veil disappeared, the bright sun dazzling her as it re-emerged in the sky. Of the girl, or Divine's transport chopper, there was no sign.

"What happened?" she heard Jack ask, and she looked around. Her friends were moving again, looking very confused.

"They must have got away," Ushio sighed, looking at the sky. "Look, I'll contact Security and let them know to watch for a rogue chopper. We can figure out where they went."

As he left to notify Security, the rest of them gathered to discuss what had happened.

"That girl did something to paralyse you all," supplied Carly, "so Divine could get away. I managed to resist it, I think because of my Fortune Ladies. Then she just disappeared."

At the mention of the red-haired girl, they fell silent, Yusei and Jack looking at each other in disbelief. Crow in particular looked very troubled.

"I've seen her before, in one of my visions," Carly continued. "Did you recognise her as well?"

"She…she looked like someone we used to know," said Jack.

"Her name was Lilly," added Yusei. "She lived in Satellite and was a friend of ours for many years when we were young. But about five years ago, she disappeared."

"I hunted all over Satellite, but could never find her," finished Crow bitterly. "I knew she was alive, somewhere. But to see her…to see her standing next to Divine like that…what's happened to her?"

"She…" Aki began. Carly looked at her, and she coughed nervously. "She was… part of the Movement, in some way. I don't know what – I only saw her once or twice, while I was there – but that was definitely the same girl."

The others looked at Aki in disbelief. Carly felt her heart sink as she imagined what they must be thinking. If this girl really was their long-lost friend, she couldn't think of a worse way for them to reunite with her than her being brainwashed into the Arcadia Movement by Divine.

"Look," Aki continued, her voice stronger now, "This isn't the place for this discussion. Let's talk about it once we're home; I think the tournament is over for now."

Carly looked across the duelling ground. Many of the spectators had left, and the people remaining were beginning to drift away themselves. Most of them had expressions of shock and disbelief on their faces at what had happened.

She felt a surge of anger. Divine was after her, but these people had been caught in the middle of their conflict. They didn't deserve that. Carly felt the need to repay them, and she knew just what to do.

"You know," she began, raising her voice so the spectators could hear. "Our tournament was interrupted before we had our last match. I think that we should get back to that. We're not going to let Divine stop our tournament now, are we?"

"That's right," said Yusei, smiling. "We had one match to go. The final. We can't forget about that."

The others nodded grimly in agreement. The final would take place after all; and Carly knew that even with Jack's help, Yusei and Aki were going to be a real challenge.


	32. Chapter 32 - The Final

A/N: Here's the next chapter, just in time for Christmas. For those of you that celebrate it, I wish you a great holiday and a very happy new year!

* * *

Chapter 32: The Final

* * *

Carly, Jack, Yusei and Aki moved to take their places across the duel field from each other. Carly noted with relief that people were slowly beginning to return to the sidelines.

"Carly, that was incredible!" Jack was saying. "You've come a long way as a duellist to beat him like that. Well done!"

She grinned at him, blushing at the praise. She was ecstatic that Jack would regard her duelling ability so highly, especially since he and the others had been duelling most of their lives. She herself still felt like a novice in comparison.

"Now, we need to focus," continued Jack. "You know how good these two are. Any mistake, any slip up we make, they will exploit. We've proven we can beat them, now we just need to do it."

Carly nodded. She knew how tough this duel was going to be, especially since the duels she'd fought so far today had taken their toll, but she wasn't going to back down now. She took in a few deep breaths, fighting the butterflies in her stomach. This was her chance to beat a top pair, one of whom was now a close friend from her time in Satellite, and the other she had never beaten in a duel.

"If you guys are ready," she called, "we can get started! Err, Crow?"

"Huh?" started Crow, looking around. Carly frowned; he was obviously still distracted from Divine's visit.

"We need you to start the duel, dunce," replied Jack, smirking. Crow shot him a glare before speaking the words to begin their contest.

"Ok guys, ready? Do it!"

* * *

**Jack and Carly LP: 8000.**

**Yusei and Aki LP: 8000.**

**Duel Track: Yugioh Forbidden Memories – Finals Duels**

* * *

"Royalty first," said Jack. "I will summon Dark Resonator, in attack position."

Jack's monster appeared before them, bearing its customary tuning fork.

**Dark Resonator – Atk 1300, Lv3.**

"Then I'll set this and end turn," he finished. Carly took in another deep breath; they had finally begun, but the butterflies in her stomach were no calmer.

"Royalty first?" asked Yusei, smiling. "Shouldn't that mean I get to go first then, as current King?"

"Just make a move!" replied Jack, eyes flashing with anger.

"Here we go, then. I will activate my Tuning spell card, adding Quickdraw Synchron to my hand and sending the top card from my deck to the graveyard. Then I'll set a card and end my turn."

The set card appeared in front of Yusei and Aki. Carly wasn't sure what to make of Yusei's move; perhaps he was going for one of his synchro plays? She glanced at Jack, but he still seemed to be preoccupied by Yusei's opening remark.

Anyway, it was her turn now. Time to make her own play.

"I will summon White Magician Pikeru, in attack position," she declared, placing the card on her duel disk. The now-familiar white-clad spellcaster appeared before her.

**White Magician Pikeru – Atk 1200, Lv2.**

"Then I activate my field spell, Secret Village of the Spellcasters, and end my turn," continued Carly. The treetop village sprang into life around them. She looked towards Jack, who nodded in approval. _Hopefully_, she thought, _we can stop them playing any more spells for a while_.

"It's my turn then," said Aki. "I will summon Gigantic Cephalotus in attack position."

The creature appeared on the field, appearing to be a large plant with two short legs and a mouth the size of its head, filled with nasty-looking teeth.

**Gigantic Cephalotus – Atk 1850, Lv4.**

"Then, I'll set this, and end turn," finished Aki.

"Back to me, then," said Jack. "First, through White Magician Pikeru's effect, we gain eight hundred life points as we have two monsters on the field."

Pikeru raised her glowing staff, bathing her and Jack in green energy and boosting their life.

**Jack and Carly LP: 8000 to 8800.**

"Next I tribute Dark Resonator to summon Big Piece Golem."

Dark Resonator transformed into a ball of energy, reforming into the large stone figure.

**Big Piece Golem – Atk 2100, Lv5.**

"Now Big Piece Golem, attack Gigantic Cephalotus," declared Jack. The golem's thick fist came down upon the huge-mouth creature, squashing it flat and damaging Yusei and Aki's life points.

**Yusei and Aki LP: 8000 to 7750.**

"Lastly I'll set this, and end my turn," Jack finished. Carly felt her stomach settle a bit, now that they had claimed the first blow; but it was Yusei's turn, and he looked like he already had a plan in mind.

* * *

Jack watched closely as Yusei began his turn. That remark about the King aside, he knew Yusei was a fairly predictable player – he'd be looking to set up his synchros and warrior combos, eventually leading to him bringing out Stardust Dragon. It was a strategy he had used extensively over the time they'd been reunited, and based on his duels in the tournament so far his deck was still based around that strategy. That meant he would be weak to any removal cards he used, so he had added a couple of extras into his deck just to be sure.

Aki would complicate things, though. Her plant deck would give Yusei more time to set up his combos and probably use up some of the extra removal cards he'd added, especially if she could get Black Rose Dragon. Jack knew they'd have to be careful, and hope that Carly could get some of her more powerful spellcasters on the field quickly so they could burn through some early life points.

"I will summon Speed Warrior, in attack position," said Yusei. Appearing on the field was the nimble warrior clad in armour plates.

**Speed Warrior – Atk 900, Lv2.**

"Because I summoned it normally, its attack is doubled until the end of the turn," he continued.

**Speed Warrior – Atk 900 to 1800.**

Jack was familiar with the warrior, but it wasn't strong enough to deal with Big Piece Golem, even with the attack boost. Was he already trying for a synchro? Meanwhile, Yusei was activating another card from his hand.

"Now I activate Turbo Booster's effect, Special Summoning it from my hand to the field in attack position."

Appearing beside the warrior was a rocket booster, a yellow twin-engined machine.

**Turbo Booster – Atk 0, Lv1.**

"Now Speed Warrior will attack Big Piece Golem," said Yusei. Speed Warrior shot forward, striking the golem squarely in the chest and putting a large crack through it; but the warrior's momentum was nowhere near enough, and it bounced off with a thud. As the attack points of the warrior were not enough to defeat the golem, Speed Warrior was destroyed, and Yusei and Aki took the damage.

**Yusei and Aki LP: 7750 to 7450.**

"Now I activate Turbo Booster's effect, tributing it to destroy Big Piece Golem," said Yusei. Turbo Booster's jets flared into life, and it shot towards the golem. It struck the already damaged creature, destroying it in an explosive collision.

Jack knew that, even though Big Piece Golem was destroyed, Yusei would not be particularly happy with the result. He knew that next turn Carly could have struck directly with the golem and Pikeru, which would be disastrous for their opponents. Spending two cards to remove the golem was far from ideal, but Jack knew sometimes you had to use the best option you had available.

As it was, Carly still had Pikeru to attack with, and it was her turn.

"My go," said Carly. "Thanks to White Magician Pikeru's effect, we gain four hundred life points."

**Jack and Carly LP: 8800 to 9200.**

"Next, I will summon Catoblepas the Witch of Fate, in attack position."

**Catoblepas the Witch of Fate – Atk 1800, Lv4.**

"Since you have no monsters, we can attack you directly," smiled Carly. "Go Pikeru and Catoblepas! Attack!"

White Magician Pikeru and Catoblepas launched bolts of shimmering energy, striking Yusei and Aki respectively.

**Yusei and Aki LP: 7450 to 4450.**

Jack grinned as the magicians completed their attacks. Yusei and Aki were in serious trouble already, and they knew it. He and Carly were on the way to winning this duel, and he knew he was back on the road to the top of the mountain.

One day, he would be King again.

* * *

"Is this all the fight the current King has?" Jack laughed at Yusei. "I guess I'll be taking back my title soon, then."

Yusei simply blinked at the remark, maintaining his calm. Aki's expression was just as calm and unreadable. Carly watched the grin slip from Jack's face as he refocused, and she knew she needed to keep focused as well. They had struck early and hard, but the duel was far from over, and it was Aki's turn.

"My turn," she began. "I will summon my second Gigantic Cephalotus, in attack position."

Another of the giant-mouthed plant creatures appeared on the field.

**Gigantic Cephalotus – Atk 1850, Lv4.**

"Ha!" cried Jack. "I activate Bottomless Trap Hole! It removes your plant monster from play!"

The black hole appeared under the plant creature, threatening to take it from the field, but the creature did not disappear.

"Not quite," explained Aki. "I activated a trap of my own, Dark Bribe. You get to draw a card, but I negate the effects of your Trap Hole."

The black hole disappeared from underneath Gigantic Cephalotus, leaving it gnashing its teeth in anticipation. Carly shuddered at the sight as Jack drew his card, grumbling.

"Now, my plant creature, attack Catoblepas the Witch of Fate!"

Carly averted her eyes as her spellcaster was eaten in a single gulp, accompanied by the slurp of a large tongue as the creature relished its meal. The witch of fate was one of her stronger monsters, too; losing it would make this duel all the tougher.

**Jack and Carly LP: 9200 to 9150.**

She blinked and took in yet another deep breath. The butterflies were back in force.

"Lastly I'll set one card and end my turn," finished Aki. "Back to you, Jack."

"About time," he grumbled. "First, White Magician Pikeru's effect activates, giving us four hundred life points."

**Jack and Carly LP: 9150 to 9550.**

As Pikeru's healing spell flowed across the field again, Carly surveyed the situation. Despite gaining a significant life point lead, the loss of Big Piece Golem had slowed their offense. She knew they needed to keep the pressure on, but to do that they needed to bring out another strong monster.

"Next I will summon my second Dark Resonator, in attack position," Jack declared. The tuning-fork-wielding fiend returned to the duel field.

**Dark Resonator – Atk 1300, Lv3.**

"To finish, I'll set this card and end turn."

"My turn," began Yusei. "First, I will activate the effect of my Quickdraw Synchron, sending a card from my hand to the graveyard to summon it to the field."

The machine monster appeared on the field like a figure out of some sort of western, clad in Stetson hat and ragged cloak and bearing a dangerous-looking gun.

**Quickdraw Synchron – Atk 700, Lv5.**

"Next, since I have a tuner monster in play, I can activate the effect of my Boost Warrior, summoning it to the field in defence position."

**Boost Warrior – Def 200, Lv1.**

Appearing beside Quickdraw Synchron was a tall red-haired warrior clad in purple armour. The two creatures themselves seemed weak, but Carly knew Yusei had access to a number of synchro monsters. Could he be bringing one of them out?

"Now I tune my level five Quickdraw Synchron to my level one Boost Warrior!"

Quickdraw Synchron split apart, transforming into five stars, which spun around Boost Warrior, forming a cocoon of light.

"Gathering bonds weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Turbo Warrior!" chanted Yusei. The cocoon transformed into a powerful warrior, clad in red cybernetic armour and wielding powerful claws.

**Turbo Warrior – Atk 2500, Lv6.**

"Now Turbo Warrior, attack Dark Resonator!" commanded Yusei. The warrior began its attack, hurling itself at Jack's fiend. Carly looked at him in alarm, but Jack was already activating his set card.

"I activate Prideful Roar! I trade twelve hundred life points to give my Dark Resonator an extra fifteen hundred attack points this turn!"

A green aura surrounded her and Jack, flowing from them into Dark Resonator, which began to glow with power.

**Jack and Carly LP: 9550 to 8350.**

**Dark Resonator – Atk 1300 to 2800.**

The fiend met Turbo Warrior's attack, striking it with a burst of sonic energy from the tuning fork. Cracks appeared over the warrior's form, and it broke apart with a crash.

"Your Turbo Warrior is destroyed!" Jack grinned, as Dark Resonator stood triumphant on the field.

**Yusei and Aki LP: 4450 to 4150.**

"The turn's not over yet, Jack," said Yusei calmly. "I can still attack with Gigantic Cephalotus, and it will attack your White Magician Pikeru!"

Once again Carly turned her head away in disgust, as the voracious plant creature gobbled up poor Pikeru.

**Jack and Carly LP: 8350 to 7700.**

"Now my turn is over," said Yusei. "That means your monster's attack strength goes back to normal."

**Dark Resonator – Atk 2800 to 1300.**

"That means it's my turn, then," said Carly, drawing. "First of all, I will send Dark Resonator to the graveyard as tribute, so I can summon this. Fortune Lady Dark!"

**Fortune Lady Dark – Atk 2000, Lv5.**

Dark Resonator vanished from the field, replaced by the purple-clad fortune lady. She flourished her staff in a circle around her, black energy crackling from it as it flew through the air.

"Now Fortune Lady Dark will attack your Gigantic Cephalotus!" ordered Carly. Fortune Lady Dark sent a bolt of black fire heading towards the plant creature; Carly knew she would be glad to finally get rid of that thing.

Aki was obviously not so keen on the idea, however, as she was activating a set card.

"Since my creature is a plant monster, I can activate my Wall of Thorns. It destroys your fortune lady!" said Aki. As Gigantic Cephalotus dodged out of the way of the attack, thick vines burst up out of the ground around Fortune Lady Dark, covered in vicious thorns. Before the fortune lady could react, the vines had snared the spellcaster and dragged her beneath the ground.

Carly swallowed and shuddered. Aki's plant deck seemed to be more vicious than ever, but that was not the worst of it. With her monster destroyed, now she and Jack were wide open to attack.

"I'll set this card and end turn!" she declared.

"My turn, then," said Aki. "First I shall summon Naturia Rosewhip, in attack position."

Emerging from the ground in front of her was a small flowery plant with crimson red petals. It smiled pleasantly at Carly, blinking at her with two large eyes, but the two long thorny vines which also emerged from the plant told Carly this was not just a pretty flower.

**Naturia Rosewhip – Atk 400, Lv3.**

"You're wide open to attack, Carly. Go, Gigantic Cephalotus and Naturia Rosewhip! Attack them directly!"

Naturia Rosewhip swung its thorny arms forward, striking Carly in the face, while Gigantic Cephalotus leapt on Jack and fastened its jaws around his arm. Jack growled at the creature, shaking his arm until the thing finally let go.

**Jack and Carly LP: 7700 to 5450.**

Carly knew they had lost their early lead, but it wasn't over yet. If they could get rid of the Cephalotus, they'd be back on top.

"Here we go, Carly," said Jack quietly. "This is where it gets worse."

She looked at him, a rebuke on her tongue – they'd just lost two thousand life points, after all - but she stopped when she saw his eyes. They were fixed on Aki's monsters, and she knew that stare – he was dead serious.

Carly swallowed again and turned back towards Yusei and Aki. What could be worse than that direct attack?

"Now, I will tune my level three Naturia Rosewhip to my level four Gigantic Cephalotus," said Aki, and with a gasp Carly finally understood. The first Signer Dragon was about to appear.


End file.
